While the Paris Olympics drew vast crowds to iconic venues like the Château de Versailles and the Eiffel Tower Stadium, one of the city’s crown jewels, the Louvre Museum, experienced a significant drop in attendance. Between July 27 and August 11, 2024, during the height of the Olympic Games, the museum saw a 22% decrease in visitors compared to the same period last year. Weekly attendance dropped to 331,759 people, averaging 23,644 daily visitors.
This decline began even before the Games, as the Louvre recorded only 166,604 visitors between July 15 and 26—a dramatic 45% reduction from 2023. Contributing to this decrease were the heightened security measures around the museum, including its inclusion within the Olympic security perimeter. From July 25 and 26, the museum was closed entirely to accommodate the opening ceremony, further impacting attendance.
A Louvre spokesperson highlighted that “restricted access to the Seine quays and the closure of most bridges and certain metro and RER stations” were significant factors in the lower foot traffic during this period.
Despite these setbacks, the Louvre remains a global cultural powerhouse. So far, the museum has welcomed over 5 million visitors in 2024, though this represents a 4% drop compared to the same period last year.
In response to rising operational costs, the Louvre raised its ticket prices from $19 to $24.50 earlier this year—the first increase since 2017. This adjustment aims to subsidize free admission programs for select visitors and offset a nearly 90% increase in energy expenses. The price hike is part of Louvre Director Laurence des Cars’ broader strategy to manage attendance and financial sustainability, especially after the museum attracted 8.9 million visitors in 2023, cementing its status as the world’s most visited museum.
