Superstars Beyoncé and Jay-Z helped the Louvre reach a record-breaking number of visitors in 2018. The Parisian landmark welcomed a record 10 .2 million visitors last year, an impressive increase of 25 per cent compared with 2017.
In fact, it claims that no other museum in the world has equalled the figure. Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been credited for contributing to the surge in numbers after they used the Louvre as the back drop for their Apes**t video, which saw them posing in front of iconic artworks from the Mona Lisa to The Coronation of Napoleon. The video caused a social media frenzy when it first dropped, especially as the couple surprised fans with a brand new joint album at the time.
It prompted the Louvre to launch a dedicated JAY-Z and Beyonce at the Louvre trail, a self-guided tour throughout the museum which stops at 17 iconic pieces which featured in the video. Other factors credited to the boost in visitors included the museum’s flagship exhibition ‘Delacroix (1798-1863)’, as well as the recovery of tourism in France.
Meanwhile, the museum also noted a rise in interest after the launch of its new Louvre Abu Dhabi museum. The Louvre’s president-director Jean-Luc Martinez said in a statement : “I’m delighted that the Louvre is so popular. Our goal is not so much to attract more visitors as to provide better visiting conditions. The recent changes we have made and are continuing to implement (clearer signage, translation of texts, etc.) have improved the quality of visitor reception. The renovation of the infrastructures under the Pyramid and the introduction of time-slot tickets have helped us level out visitor numbers throughout the year and reduce ticket lines outside the museum. So although there are more visitors, everyone can explore the Louvre at their own pace and appreciate the artworks to their heart’s content.”
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