What thoughts hide behind the mysterious face of the Mona Lisa? Maybe, “I’m getting my own room? Finally!”

Mona Lisa is probably the most famous painting in the world. It hangs in the Louvre (pronounced LOOV) art museum. That museum is in Paris, France. The Louvre is getting renovated (remodeled). It gets overcrowded. Parts of it are out of date. In the renovation, it will get a wide new entrance near the Seine (SEN) River. 

Last year, 8.7 million people visited the Louvre. Out of every four visitors, three were foreigners. They came from places such as the United States and China. Others came from neighboring countries like Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain. 

But not everyone loves the Louvre. The museum gets hot in summer. It’s chilly in winter. It lacks good acoustics. That means that the inside of the building is noisy. Critics say the museum needs more food options and restrooms. 

Leonardo da Vinci painted Mona Lisa sometime between 1503 and 1519. Right now, visitors view the painting in the biggest room in the Louvre. Mona Lisa is behind protective glass. Long, noisy lines of people form. Visitors eagerly wait to take selfies with the painting. Meanwhile, other great paintings in the museum go unnoticed by many. 

Why a new room for Mona Lisa? Visitors will be able to get tickets just to see her private section. This should make museum visits easier—both for Mona Lisa enthusiasts and visitors to other parts of the museum.