Ticket prices for the Louvre museum in Paris will rise by 45% for most non-European Union visitors, the museum’s board decided on Thursday, writes BBC.

From early next year, tourists from countries like the US, UK and China will have to pay EUR 32 to enter the museum, a price hike which is expected to raise millions of euros annually to fund an overhaul of the famous gallery.

The museum’s security and management have faced criticism since a brazen heist in October, when a four-person gang stole jewellery worth USD 102m (£76m) and fled within minutes. An official audit of the museum published shortly after the heist highlighted the institution’s inadequate security systems and ageing infrastructure.

From 14 January, visitors from countries outside the European Economic Area - a group which includes EU member states, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein - will pay an extra €10 to enter the world"s most visited museum.

Non-EU visitors in groups with accredited guides will also have to pay €28 starting next year, the Louvre told the BBC.

The price hike is expected to raise between EUR 15m and EUR 20m each year to support the museum’s modernisation plans, it added.

The Louvre received nearly 9 million visitors last year, with the majority coming from abroad. More than a tenth of its visitors are from the US and around 6% from China, according to the museum. There have been longstanding calls to address the museum"s capacity to accommodate crowds, with visitors often complaining of congested galleries and long queues. In January, French President Emmanuel Macron and the Louvre announced improvements to the museum, and suggested higher fees for non-EU residents in 2026.