The endless queues in front of the iconic glass pyramid are far away and the Mona Lisa loses her smile a little. The Louvre museum saw its attendance plummet by 75% in July and 60% in August compared to last year. These figures, taking into account reservations until the end of August, were communicated to AFP by its management. The largest museum in the world will have received some 550,000 visitors in July and August, nearly 80% of whom are French.
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Despite the fears of going to closed places and the health constraints linked to Covid-19 (in particular the obligation to come with a mask), the French public has therefore remained loyal to the Louvre, which had diversified its offers in order to attract a family audience, young and Ile-de-France. The twenty-minute “mini-discoveries”, allowing you to browse a specific collection (The Napoleon, stopover in ancient Egypt or the great French masters) with a guide, exceptionally free and without registration, worked well. They are still offered until September 20. In previous years, French visitors constituted between 20 and 25% of admissions. This time, the crisis gave them the opportunity to rediscover their heritage and even to return to the museum on several occasions.
Usually the clientele is 75% foreign
The level of attendance remains broadly in line with the low forecasts made before the reopening on July 6, we say to the museum's communications department. The Louvre had counted on a sharp drop in ticket sales, as 75% of visitors were foreign tourists in previous years. In the absence of the Americans and Asians, Chinese in the lead, who formed the largest battalions, local Europeans responded (Germans, Dutch, Belgians ...).
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For visitors, the stroll has never been so ideal to contemplate the Mona Lisa , the Winged Victory of Samothrace or Liberty leading the people without the usual jostling. Strangely empty, the museum is transformed. But for the finances of the establishment, which counts like most other major museums on its ticket office, the situation remains worrying.
Additional information: https://www.louvre.fr/
