Art critics hailed news of the move, saying that the precious painting has stolen the spotlight for long enough.

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to announce possibly hundreds of millions of euros in renovation work for the Louvre.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that non-EU visitors will pay a higher entrance fee to visit the Louvre, the world's most-visited museum, which is plagued by overcrowding and outdated facilities.

Brits could soon pay more to enter the Louvre to see Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa painting, as French president Emmanuel Macron announces major overhaul of the world's most visited museum

The Louvre, the world’s most-visited museum and home to Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” has requested urgent help from the French government to restore and renovate its ageing exhibition halls and better protect its countless works of art.

A multi-year overhaul will see a new entrance built as well as a separate underground gallery for Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece in what Mr Macron called a "new renaissance".

I remember when, as a child, I fought my way to the front of a queue of sweaty tourists in the Louvre, only to be pulled aside by a security guard who mistook my enthusiasm for malign intent. When I visited a few years later – still in the pre-internet age – I had raised my expectations so much that the reality was,

The announcement comes after the Louvre Museum director revealed the dire state of the famous Parisian museum last week. View on euronews

An underground tunnel network long rumored thanks to drawings by Leonardo da Vinci under Milan’s Sforza Castle are proven to exist. Ground-penetrating radar and laser scanning revealed that the historic passages made famous by a Leonardo da Vinci drawing is just one of multiple tunnel sections.

The Louvre, the world's most-visited museum and home to Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, has requested urgent help from the French government to restore and renovate its ageing exhibition halls and better protect its countless works of art.

France`s President Macron announced a renovation plan for the Louvre, including a dedicated, independently accessible space for the Mona Lisa.