The Louvre has announced an international team of architects—New York's Selldorf Architects and Studios Architecture Paris—to lead its "Nouvelle Renaissance" expansion, a project estimated to cost over €1 billion ($1.2 billion). The plan, first announced by French President Emmanuel Macron in early 2025, includes a new entrance to accommodate three million additional visitors annually and a dedicated 33,000-square-foot exhibition space for Leonardo da Vinci's *Mona Lisa*. The museum's new director, Christophe Leribault, is moving forward with the project despite significant budget uncertainty, with cost estimates ranging from €270 million to €1.1 billion.
This expansion matters because it aims to address critical issues at the world's most visited museum: crumbling infrastructure, overcrowding, and security deficiencies. The project comes after a year of embarrassing setbacks for the Louvre, including a $102 million heist, a ticket fraud scandal, leaks, staff strikes, and a leadership change. While critics argue the plan prioritizes flashy features over essential maintenance, the Nouvelle Renaissance represents a high-stakes effort to modernize and secure the museum's future, with its success hinging on resolving a substantial funding shortfall.