Ambitious Plans for the World's Most Famous Museum. Will the Mona Lisa Have Her Own Room?

The Louvre is preparing for its biggest transformation in decades, as the iconic museum has announced an international architectural competition for its expansion. Mona Lisa, the woman with the world's most famous smile, will finally get her own dedicated room, while a modern entrance will allow weary crowds to breathe.

Does the woman with the world's most famous smile deserve a separate room? The Louvre has no doubts – the Mona Lisa will get a dedicated space! The world's most popular museum has announced an international architectural competition for its long-awaited expansion. The project involves creating a new room for Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece and an additional entrance to relieve the crowded museum.

As announced by the museum’s director, Laurence des Cars, the international architectural competition will allow for the emergence of a vision that will not only solve the problem of crowds, but will also redefine the experience of meeting the most famous portrait in the world .

The Louvre is preparing to expand the museum / Unsplash, Dat Vo

Nearly 9 million visitors a year ? For some, this sounds like a dream, but for the Louvre – an ever-increasing challenge. Overcrowded halls, lines snaking from the famous glass pyramid and the recent workers’ strike have proven that the Parisian icon needs to change.

Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci (1503-1507) in the Louvre / Unsplash, Federico Scarionati

The project, described by French President Emmanuel Macron as the Louvre’s “New Renaissance,” will cost around €400 million . Funding will come mainly from ticket sales and sponsorships. There are also plans to introduce an additional €5 fee for visitors from outside the European Union, which Macron confirmed earlier this year.

Importantly, the expansion is to accommodate up to 12 million visitors per year . This is an impressive increase from today's 9 million visitors and a return to ambitious pre-pandemic goals.

A new 3,000-square-meter gallery for the Mona Lisa will be built under the Cour Carrée courtyard. It is a space that will allow not only a peaceful look at the famous portrait, but also to learn about its turbulent fate and understand why Gioconda has fascinated people around the world for centuries .

The hall will require a separate ticket and entry at a specific time – which is intended to put an end to the kilometre-long queues and chaos at the current main entrance under the glass pyramid .

For those who are concerned about the visual impact of the expansion, the Louvre does not want a repeat of Pei's revolutionary but controversial pyramid from the 1980s. A jury of 21 experts from around the world will select a design that not only solves the capacity problem but also blends into the museum's historical fabric. The competition results will be announced in October, and the winner will be officially announced early next year.