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The Louvre Auctions Unique Experiences
During COVID, as many cities experience restrictions and lockdowns, places such as museums suffer from low attendance. Many Museums rely on public tickets to fund their maintenance and pay their staff, in addition, to growing their collections. Some museums have begun to get creative in their ways to generate new revenue, including online tours and virtual events. The Louvre has decided to partner with well-established brands to provide an auction of unique experiences for patrons. The auction, listed by both Christies Auction house and Hotel Drouot, will run until December 15th.
The Auction
Auction items will include a private attendance at the annual examination of the Mona Lisa, one of the world’s most famous paintings. This is an honor usually reserved for heads of state. Normally in the museum gallery, guests are kept 15 feet back, by a wooden barrier and a crowd of people. Officials are estimating that this one item will go for around £9,000-£27,000.
One also has the chance to win a tour of the museum by the director of the Louvre and a private concert in Caryatids Hall. In addition, there is a bid open for a walk along the rooftop of the 800-year-old Louvre palace, accompanied by street artist JR. Another tour listed is a chance to see Cartier’s secret jewelry workshop and a viewing of the French crown jewels. Artists such as Johan Creten and Candida Hofer have donated art pieces to add to the auction as well.
Winners of the auction will have two years to claim their winning experience. The museum hopes to use the proceeds from the auction to build a new artistic and cultural education space. It is part of their plan to provide art and art education to all. The Louvre is the world’s largest art museum with millions of viewers each year. Since the pandemic, they have had to close their doors for many months. They estimate that they have lost £81m in revenue this year due to the pandemic. If this auction goes as planned, they should be able to reopen with even more to offer the general public.
In the meantime, you can browse our bestsellers gallery and find the perfect masterpiece to hang in your own home, without the hassle of bidding on it.
About the Author Amanda Hadley
Amanda graduated from the University of Kansas, where she studied English literature and got a masters degree in library sciences. She enjoys reading, cooking and playing with her nephews. Her best friend is her little dog Brady.
