The Louvre introduces closed numbers on admissions. Let's get out of the culture of numbers

The Louvre introduces admission controls and becomes a de facto closed-door museum. The institution has just announced its 2022 results: 7.8 million visitors during the year, up sharply from 2021 (+170%), but still on lower numbers than in 2019 (-19%). For the Paris museum, the result “confirms both the very strong attractiveness of the Louvre and the rapid return of visitors since the lifting of restrictions related to the Covid-19 crisis. Thus, after a first quarter of 2022 still affected by the inability to travel to certain geographical areas, the figures for the summer, fall, and winter of 2022 illustrate a very positive dynamic.”

However, the Louvre makes it known that there will be no return to previous numbers precisely because the limit on admissions introduced in June 2022 will be made permanent, and this is in order to promote visitor comfort and ensure better working conditions for its staff. This is a daily limit of 30,000 tickets available, combined with the recommended time slot reservation system in order to better spread the number of visitors throughout the day.

“I decided, in agreement with the supervisory authority, to introduce a limit of 30,000 daily tickets, while we sometimes exceeded 45,000,” said director Laurence des Cars in an interview with French newspaper Le Journal des Arts. “It is difficult to offer good comfort to visitors when you exceed this limit of 30,000 visitors. For me, fundamentally, the time spent in the museum should be a fun time.” To achieve this goal, the overall number of visitors is a secondary issue, according to Laurence des Cars. “The implementation of this indicator,” the director added, “brings us to an annual attendance of between 7.5 and 8 million admissions. It is a small revolution; I am the first director of the Louvre to call for attendance control, which, by the way, should not be the only measure of success. It is necessary to get out of the culture of numbers and find a balance point to facilitate the encounter between the public and the Louvre’s collections.”

The limitation will be through the web-based reservation system, which will manage flows and guaranteeimmediate access to those who have booked in advance, while still maintaining the possibility for a certain number of visitors to enter the museum even without a reservation. And again with a view to improving the visitor experience, the Louvre has reinstated the evening visit on Fridays (when the museum closes at 9:45 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. as on other days). Finally, the director also announced that the Louvre is reflecting on the possibility of extending the opening hours to 7 p.m., with the aim of changing the visiting habits of the public who, for example, might decide to go to the museum close to closing time and then stay at the Louvre to finish the evening by attending a lecture or concert in the auditorium.

The Louvre introduces closed numbers on admissions. Let's get out of the culture of numbers

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