The new normal lands at the Louvre
This Monday, the Louvre joins the list of European museums that have announced its reopening after confinement. To ensure safety, visitors will need to book an access time online , as well as they must carry face mask and comply with hygiene and physical distancing.
Despite France receives European tourists since June 15 , keeps its borders closed to non-member countries schengen Area, which is why this is the perfect time to delight in works of art like the Mona Lisa without having to face a tide of people trying to immortalize the box Da Vinci with their corresponding mobile phones.
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"What 75% of regular visitors come from abroad (especially from USA, China and Brazil) , the Louvre expects very few visitors this summer. The figures will be around 5,000 and 10,000 visitors per day (compared to the usual 35,000 to 45,000 during the summer)," he explains. Celine Dauvergne , museum communication department, **a Traveler.es. **
“Waiting lines will double in the Mona Lisa room to ensure social distancing but there will be no limited time to view the painting. There is more of 400 rooms in the Louvre , so we are not going to impose a number of people per room, although, for the time being, the smaller ones will remain closed”, points out Céline Dauvergne.
The summer program offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Figure d'artiste exhibition at the Petite Galerie , which is part of the series dedicated to the Renaissance of this year and whose stay has been prolonged until July 5, 2021 , as well as enjoying a brief Free tour of the permanent collections.
These short free tours of the permanent collections will take place from July 8 to September 20, 2020 , will last 20 minutes and will be aimed at both individuals and families.
The Louvre expects very few visitors this summer
As for the schedule, From July to September, the museum will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day except Tuesday. The autumn program will begin in October with exhibitions dedicated to the Renaissance masters, while the 2021 will be dedicated to archaeology.
CONDITIONS OF THE VISIT
At last we will be able to explore again the 45,000 square meters of the most iconic art temple in Paris and contemplate their more than 32,000 works of art: from the famous Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo or the Mona Lisa to the lesser-known decorative arts relics of the Middle Ages or the garden sculptures of some of the most spectacular residences in 17th century France. **
To do this, all visitors must reserve a time slot to visit the museum, including those who have the right to free admission (under 18s and EU residents under 26, among others) . As an exception, during off-peak hours, there will also be the option to reserve access for the same day on site.
In order to support independent tour guides, the museum has decided Allow groups of up to 25 people. However, to respect social distancing measures, they will be required to use of headphones and microphones . In turn, the audio guide service -available in 9 languages, with new content and with geolocation - will be available from July 15.
The smaller rooms will remain closed for the time being
Regarding hygienic-sanitary measures, all staff members and visitors over the age of 11 must wear a mask inside the palace and maintain the safety distance recommended by the authorities.
In addition, they will have hygiene gel -compulsory use- in the two authorized entrances to the museum: the pyramid , where there will be specific queues for each time slot; and Richelieu's , for visitors with membership cards (Amis du Louvre, Louvre Pro, ICOM, Ministère de la Culture, etc.) and groups.
On the other hand, to control the flow of visitors, unidirectional systems have been established throughout the space: a special signaling has been established that indicates the recommended itineraries, that visitors must strictly follow at peak times. The entrance and exit of the recently renovated Galerie d'Apollon and the Salle des États -where the Mona Lisa resides-, They will be done through separate doors.
As for the rooms available, these will be open sections: Middle Eastern, Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities; introduction to Islamic art; Italian and Northern European sculptures ; Italian, Spanish and English painting; masterpieces of French painting of the 19th century; French crown jewels; apartments of Napoleon III; decorative arts in the Middle Ages and under the reign of Louis XIV; **and French sculptures from the 17th to the 19th century. **
The entrance to the Pyramid and Richelieu will be the only ones available
Therefore these will be the non-accessible collections: French sculptures of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance ; decorative arts during the Renaissance and in the 18th and 19th centuries; arts from Africa, Asia, Oceania and America; lower level of islamic art section ; and second level of the French and Northern European painting collections.
To conclude, for health and safety reasons, some changes have been made to the services offered: the cloakroom will remain closed , which means motorcycle helmets, suitcases and large bags will no longer be allowed.
Wheelchairs and strollers, on the other hand, will be available, being disinfected after each use. ; audio guides can be rented from July 15; the book and gift shop will open on July 6 and museum cafes and restaurants will also reopen in shifts.
The new normal arrives at the Louvre