The Louvre needs full upgrade. President Macron is to address the Paris museum's costly renovation.
The Louvre needs full upgrade. President Macron is to address the Paris museum's costly renovation.
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The Louvre needs a full upgrade, and a costly one. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to announce Tuesday possibly hundreds of millions of euros (dollars) in renovation work for the most visited museum in the world, plagued with overcrowding and outdated facilities.
Macron’s speech comes after the Louvre director Laurence des Cars expressed concerns over the “very poor condition” of some of the museum's spaces. The Louvre's latest overhaul dates back to the 1980s, when the iconic glass pyramid was unveiled. Now, the museum is not up to international standards anymore.
A look at what's at stake. Water leaks and other damage. Des Cars sent a note expressing a series of concerns to Culture Minister Rachida Dati earlier this month saying the museum is threatened by “obsolescence.”. According to the document first released by French newspaper Le Parisien, she warned about the gradual degradation of the building due to water leaks, temperature variations and other issues “endangering the preservation of artworks.”.
The pyramid that serves at the museum's entrance, unveiled in 1989 as part of late President François Mitterrand’s project, now appears outdated. The place is not properly insulated from the cold and the heat and tends to amplify noise, making the space uncomfortable for both the public and the staff, des Cars stressed.
In addition, the museum suffers from a lack of food offerings and restroom facilities, she said. A costly and complex overhaul. “We’re faced with a collective challenge,” an official at the French presidency said. “That is, how can we adapt the Louvre to expectations, welcome visitors from across the world in comfortable conditions and also be leading a commitment for artistic and cultural education?” The official could not be named in line with the French presidency’s customary practices.
