Louvre Raises Non-EEA Ticket Prices by 45% for Renovations

The Louvre Museum in Paris announced on Thursday a 45 percent increase in ticket prices for visitors from outside the European Economic Area, effective January 14, 2025, to help finance a major renovation amid security concerns exposed by an October heist. The change will raise the entry fee from 22 euros to 32 euros for non-EEA nationals, including those from the United States, China, and the United Kingdom, while EU citizens and residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway remain exempt at the current rate.

The decision, approved by the museum's governing board, aims to generate up to 20 million euros annually to address longstanding structural issues at the world's most visited art museum. In 2024, the Louvre welcomed 8.7 million visitors, with about 70 percent from abroad. Americans accounted for 13 percent of the total, followed by Chinese visitors at 6 percent and Britons at 5 percent, making them the primary groups affected by the hike.

The price adjustment follows a brazen daylight robbery on October 19, when a four-person gang broke into the Apollo Gallery using a freight lift and power tools. The thieves smashed display cases and stole crown jewels valued at...