French President Emmanuel Macron revealed that Leonardo da Vinci’s celebrated painting, the Mona Lisa, will soon be transferred to a newly designated exhibition space within the Louvre.

This decision is part of an extensive renovation initiative aimed at modernizing France’s most renowned museum, which welcomes approximately nine million visitors annually, ARTnews reports.

The announcement follows the leak of an internal memo by Louvre director Laurence des Cars, published in Le Parisien last week. In the memo, des Cars raised concerns over the museum’s deteriorating state, insufficient modern amenities, and the strain caused by continuous overcrowding in the 232-year-old institution. She also proposed reassessing how the Mona Lisa is displayed, advocating for a dedicated room to enhance the visitor experience. Presently, the artwork is exhibited in the Salle des États, where it attracts between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors daily—far exceeding the capacity the gallery was designed to handle.

Des Cars has been considering relocating the Mona Lisa for some time. In April, The Telegraph reported that she had informed staff that the current setup often leads to “public disappointment.” She suggested that a new underground chamber specifically designed for the masterpiece could significantly improve visitor satisfaction.

It appears Macron has embraced this proposal. Speaking in front of the painting at the Louvre on Tuesday, he detailed the planned renovations, which will include several new underground exhibition halls beneath Cour Carrée, the museum’s eastern courtyard. One of these spaces will be dedicated to the Mona Lisa and will feature a separate entrance—along with its own ticketing system, a move likely aimed at securing additional funding for the project.

In an interview with The New York Times on Tuesday, des Cars described the Mona Lisa’s current setting as “a scene of intense agitation.”

“Everywhere the building is suffering,” des Cars stated ahead of Macron’s speech in the Salle des États, where the Mona Lisa is presently displayed.

“Each day this very room is the scene of intense agitation,” she continued, noting how weary and frustrated tourists push through crowds to catch a glimpse of the painting.

“The Louvre’s exceptional visitor numbers are not a curse, they’re a source of pride,” she added. “It’s also a challenge to reinvent ourselves and remain faithful to our public service mission.”

Although no official cost estimate was provided, Le Figaro projected last year that such a renovation could reach €500 million. Macron stated that funding would come from an increase in ticket prices for visitors from non-European Union countries, starting in 2026.

But what makes the Mona Lisa so irresistibly fascinating to millions of visitors each year? There are plenty of theories.