Louvre Increases Ticket Prices for Non-E.U. Visitors by 45%

The Louvre will raise ticket prices by 45 percent for non-E.U. visitors in 2026, according to the museum’s board.

From January 14, visitors from countries like the U.S., U.K., and China will pay €32 ($37) to enter the world-famous museum. That’s €10 ($11.60) more per ticket than visitors from the European Economic Area, which includes E.U. member states, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.

The announcement, made on November 27, comes as the Louvre faces intense criticism of its aging infrastructure and security systems after a brazen daytime $102 million jewel heist on October 19.

The price hike is expected to raise between €15 million and €20 million ($17.38 million to $23.17 million) each year to support the institution’s modernization plans, according to a statement.

The world’s most-visited museum, the Louvre welcomed nearly 9 million visitors in 2024, with around 10 percent hailing from the U.S. and another roughly 6 percent from China.

Earlier this year, the Louvre was among several of France’s top cultural destinations to decide to raise its ticket prices for non-E.U visitors. The original planned hike was announced as €30 ($35), up from €22 ($25), starting in January 2026.

Ongoing Infrastructure Concerns

In addition to recent security concerns, crumbling facilities and overcrowding have been chronic bugbears for the museum through the last years. Just last week, the Louvre was forced to temporarily close parts of its Sully wing, including second-floor offices and the Campana Gallery, due to structural concerns flagged in a recent building assessment.

The report, submitted on November 14, warned of fragile support beams, prompting the museum to relocate 65 employees and shut nine rooms displaying ancient Greek ceramics. The affected section had been under observation for years, but the new findings led to immediate action.

In January, Le Parisien leaked a confidential letter from the Louvre’s director Laurence des Cars to France’s minister of culture Rachida Dati deploring how the deterioration of the Louvre building is jeopardizing the art historical treasures within. Among the complaints listed are “worrying temperature variations that endanger the conservation of the artworks” and parts of the building that are “very degraded” and “no longer watertight.”

The scandal prompted French president Emmanuel Macron to announce a sweeping €800 million ($927 million) restoration of the Louvre. The plan includes a new room for the famed Mona Lisa, as well as updated amenities like toilets and restaurants. However, reports in French press suggested only a fraction of the cost would be covered by the state.

Earlier this month, the Louvre also implemented a new €80 million ($92 million) master plan for improved security. The announcement followed scrutiny of past audits dating back more than a decade that revealed glaring gaps in security measures, including insufficient passwords for security camera software, some as simple as “Louvre.”