Republished with full copyright permissions from The Washington Daily Chronicle.

The Louvre, Paris’ renowned museum housing a vast collection of over 33,000 works of art, is set to implement a nearly 30% increase in ticket prices from €17 to €22 ($18 to $24) effective January 15, 2024. This move aims to address growing energy costs and support a regional free ticket initiative for local French residents.

The decision precedes the 2024 Summer Olympics, an event expected to draw over 10 million visitors to the city of Paris between July 20 and September 8. The price adjustment aligns with broader efforts across Paris to accommodate the surge in demand during the Olympics. Notably, Paris plans to double the metro ticket price from €2.10 to €4.00, which has sparked controversy among city officials. Additionally, hotels are anticipated to raise prices by a staggering 300% from summer 2023 to summer 2024, as reported by the Paris tourism office.

Laurence des Cars, the newly appointed President of the Louvre Museum, has stressed that the price revision forms part of a broader strategy to enhance the museum’s appeal among Parisians. The move seeks to address concerns about overcrowding due to tourist influx while fostering a stronger connection with local visitors. In line with this, the museum has reduced the daily visitor limit to 30,000 from 45,000, a measure intended to encourage greater participation from the local community.

Notably, a considerable proportion of French visitors are currently exempt from entrance fees due to age or professional affiliations. Laurence des Cars emphasized the importance of fostering a positive relationship with local visitors, expressing a desire to reignite the “desire for the Louvre” within the French public.

“I am delighted to witness the Louvre Museum being embraced by the local community from Ile-de-France and Paris,” remarked Laurence des Cars. “The vitality of this bond is central to our mission. We are committed to rejuvenating the ‘desire for the Louvre’ among our local audience and creating opportunities for their engagement.”

With the pricing adjustment set to take effect ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics and the museum’s strategic focus on its local audience, the Louvre Museum seems poised to navigate the challenges of managing visitor numbers while nurturing a stronger connection with its community.