Mona Lisa to Get Dedicated Gallery in Louvre's Major Redesign

The Louvre Museum has announced the winning design team for 'Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance,' a major redevelopment project that will give Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' its own purpose-built gallery beneath the Cour Carrée. Selldorf Architects and STUDIOS Architecture Paris, alongside landscape architects Base, won the international competition. The project, one of the largest architectural transformations since I. M. Pei's glass pyramid in 1989, aims to ease overcrowding at the museum, which welcomes nearly 9 million visitors annually. The painting will move from the overcrowded Salle des États to a new space with a separate access point to manage crowds. The redesign focuses on the eastern facade (Grande Colonnade), including new underground entrances, expanded pathways, and additional galleries. France's Ministry of Culture praised the proposal for balancing contemporary architecture with heritage. Construction is expected to be completed in the early 2030s.