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It’s 2 a.m. at the Louvre, and You’re Hanging With da Vinci It’s 2 a.m. at the Louvre, and You’re Hanging With Leonardo
(about 5 hours later)
PARIS — In the small hours of the morning, when most of Paris lapses into sleep, the Louvre Museum generally sleeps, too. The museum becomes, for all intents and purposes, a maximum-security art vault. Galleries are plunged into darkness, and the vast entrance foyer that throbs with tourists in daytime is deserted.PARIS — In the small hours of the morning, when most of Paris lapses into sleep, the Louvre Museum generally sleeps, too. The museum becomes, for all intents and purposes, a maximum-security art vault. Galleries are plunged into darkness, and the vast entrance foyer that throbs with tourists in daytime is deserted.
But at 2 a.m. Sunday, the Louvre teemed with crowds. For the first time, the museum was open all weekend, around the clock, in a move intended to grant more (and younger) visitors access to the final days of its otherwise sold-out Leonardo da Vinci blockbuster. The exhibition, which opened on Oct. 24 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Renaissance master’s death, drew nearly 1.1 million visitors, smashing the attendance record set by the 2018 Delacroix show that had 540,000 visitors.But at 2 a.m. Sunday, the Louvre teemed with crowds. For the first time, the museum was open all weekend, around the clock, in a move intended to grant more (and younger) visitors access to the final days of its otherwise sold-out Leonardo da Vinci blockbuster. The exhibition, which opened on Oct. 24 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Renaissance master’s death, drew nearly 1.1 million visitors, smashing the attendance record set by the 2018 Delacroix show that had 540,000 visitors.
For the marathon Leonardo weekend, the Louvre pulled out all the stops. Two weeks before the show was scheduled to close, the museum announced that it would be releasing a total of 30,000 free tickets online two days later. The tickets, snapped up in a few hours, granted access at a particular time between 9 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. on the final Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Audio guides were provided free of charge. Even the refreshments were free.For the marathon Leonardo weekend, the Louvre pulled out all the stops. Two weeks before the show was scheduled to close, the museum announced that it would be releasing a total of 30,000 free tickets online two days later. The tickets, snapped up in a few hours, granted access at a particular time between 9 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. on the final Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Audio guides were provided free of charge. Even the refreshments were free.
Inside the main foyer, a giant pop-up bar served hot beverages — including coffee and green or black tea — and brown paper bags filled with madeleines. Countertop signs, with a picture of one of the little cakes and the words “servez-vous,” invited patrons to help themselves.Inside the main foyer, a giant pop-up bar served hot beverages — including coffee and green or black tea — and brown paper bags filled with madeleines. Countertop signs, with a picture of one of the little cakes and the words “servez-vous,” invited patrons to help themselves.
Visitors snaked around the galleries in orderly queues as if it were a regular weekday, taking turns in front of each drawing, painting or vitrine, and forming clusters around the highlights: the extraordinary drapery studies in the first room, executed when Leonardo was a young apprentice; the anatomical and botanical drawings, set in vitrines; and star paintings such as the “Virgin of the Rocks” and “La Belle Ferronnière.”Visitors snaked around the galleries in orderly queues as if it were a regular weekday, taking turns in front of each drawing, painting or vitrine, and forming clusters around the highlights: the extraordinary drapery studies in the first room, executed when Leonardo was a young apprentice; the anatomical and botanical drawings, set in vitrines; and star paintings such as the “Virgin of the Rocks” and “La Belle Ferronnière.”
But the crowds were not the typical Louvre visitors: tourists from around the world who come mainly to see the Mona Lisa, snap a selfie and tick the experience off their bucket list. Nor were they of the older, more archetypal museumgoing variety who can customarily be found doing the rounds of recherché retrospectives. These visitors were mainly younger people — teenagers and those in their 20s and 30s — many wearing sneakers and puffer jackets, and reading the exhibition booklets or listening to the audio guides.But the crowds were not the typical Louvre visitors: tourists from around the world who come mainly to see the Mona Lisa, snap a selfie and tick the experience off their bucket list. Nor were they of the older, more archetypal museumgoing variety who can customarily be found doing the rounds of recherché retrospectives. These visitors were mainly younger people — teenagers and those in their 20s and 30s — many wearing sneakers and puffer jackets, and reading the exhibition booklets or listening to the audio guides.
One particularly young visitor standing in the room of scientific drawings — near a sketch of a sectioned skull — was Manon Gébleux, 8, from Bordeaux. In Paris for the weekend with her parents and her 14-year-old brother, Leo, she looked wide-eyed and excited despite the very late hour. A first-timer at the Louvre, she nonetheless knew exactly who Leonardo was, having studied him at school, she said. Earlier that day, she added, she had seen the Mona Lisa (which hangs in a different wing of the museum) and learned all about the portrait from a virtual-reality headset.One particularly young visitor standing in the room of scientific drawings — near a sketch of a sectioned skull — was Manon Gébleux, 8, from Bordeaux. In Paris for the weekend with her parents and her 14-year-old brother, Leo, she looked wide-eyed and excited despite the very late hour. A first-timer at the Louvre, she nonetheless knew exactly who Leonardo was, having studied him at school, she said. Earlier that day, she added, she had seen the Mona Lisa (which hangs in a different wing of the museum) and learned all about the portrait from a virtual-reality headset.
Manon said the exhibition was “very interesting,” adding, “I like the way he makes his drawings, sometimes with pencil, sometimes with ink.” Did she draw too? “Well, yes, but I don’t draw better than he does,” she acknowledged.Manon said the exhibition was “very interesting,” adding, “I like the way he makes his drawings, sometimes with pencil, sometimes with ink.” Did she draw too? “Well, yes, but I don’t draw better than he does,” she acknowledged.
Caelia Coombes, Manon’s mother, said that she had spent two hours on her computer to secure the free tickets. “As I was telling the children, it’s something we’ll do once in our lifetime,” she noted, “visiting the Louvre by night and seeing Leonardo da Vinci. It’s magic.”Caelia Coombes, Manon’s mother, said that she had spent two hours on her computer to secure the free tickets. “As I was telling the children, it’s something we’ll do once in our lifetime,” she noted, “visiting the Louvre by night and seeing Leonardo da Vinci. It’s magic.”
Another striking feature of the nocturnal visitors was that they avoided the selfie-taking, chatter and banter that might be expected of a generally younger audience. The impression given was that of an educated, cultured crowd already familiar with the Louvre — not quite the new-audience demographic that the museum was seeking to attract.Another striking feature of the nocturnal visitors was that they avoided the selfie-taking, chatter and banter that might be expected of a generally younger audience. The impression given was that of an educated, cultured crowd already familiar with the Louvre — not quite the new-audience demographic that the museum was seeking to attract.
Nassima Sekkai, a 28-year-old accountant, said that she had been to the museum several times before, and had wanted to visit the show for months. She noted that visitors like her were “interested, and not here by force, not dragged along by their schools,” though she suggested that the curiosity of a few young patrons might have been piqued by a music video by Beyoncé and Jay-Z that was shot in 2018 at the Louvre.Nassima Sekkai, a 28-year-old accountant, said that she had been to the museum several times before, and had wanted to visit the show for months. She noted that visitors like her were “interested, and not here by force, not dragged along by their schools,” though she suggested that the curiosity of a few young patrons might have been piqued by a music video by Beyoncé and Jay-Z that was shot in 2018 at the Louvre.
Ms. Sekkai’s sister Anissa, a 30-year-old business journalist, said that she was the one who had secured the six tickets, for herself, siblings and a friend. Even though it was a Saturday night, she said, “they all came along, and were all on time.” The all-weekend opening was “extraordinary,” she added, because “it’s rare for culture to open up like that.”Ms. Sekkai’s sister Anissa, a 30-year-old business journalist, said that she was the one who had secured the six tickets, for herself, siblings and a friend. Even though it was a Saturday night, she said, “they all came along, and were all on time.” The all-weekend opening was “extraordinary,” she added, because “it’s rare for culture to open up like that.”
The round-the-clock showing was also a chance for the Louvre, three-quarters of whose visitors are from abroad, to reconnect with its audience in France, particularly those living in and around Paris. Because the tickets were released at the last minute, visitors able to take advantage of the offer were by definition more likely to be local.The round-the-clock showing was also a chance for the Louvre, three-quarters of whose visitors are from abroad, to reconnect with its audience in France, particularly those living in and around Paris. Because the tickets were released at the last minute, visitors able to take advantage of the offer were by definition more likely to be local.
Matteo Mariat, a 27-year-old marketing professional, slouched on a bench in his beanie after a cup of green tea and a madeleine. He said that he had found the nocturnal visit “unpleasant” on the whole, because there were too many people and it had been difficult to read the labels or to see the smaller, more delicate drawings. Still, he welcomed the initiative, lauding the idea of the free night tickets to encourage younger people to visit.Matteo Mariat, a 27-year-old marketing professional, slouched on a bench in his beanie after a cup of green tea and a madeleine. He said that he had found the nocturnal visit “unpleasant” on the whole, because there were too many people and it had been difficult to read the labels or to see the smaller, more delicate drawings. Still, he welcomed the initiative, lauding the idea of the free night tickets to encourage younger people to visit.
“We work all week, and when we have free time over the weekend, museums are closed,” he said.“We work all week, and when we have free time over the weekend, museums are closed,” he said.
A friend of Mr. Mariat, Léo Tullet, 27, who organizes contemporary-art exhibitions, agreed that Parisians had “really seized the opportunity” to attend. “This was maybe our reappropriation of the Louvre, where we never go, because there are too many tourists,” he said.A friend of Mr. Mariat, Léo Tullet, 27, who organizes contemporary-art exhibitions, agreed that Parisians had “really seized the opportunity” to attend. “This was maybe our reappropriation of the Louvre, where we never go, because there are too many tourists,” he said.
Vincent Delieuvin, one of the exhibition’s two curators, rejected the suggestion that the special opening hours were a publicity stunt. “Do you honestly think we need it?” he asked in a telephone interview hours before the weekend began. “We had 9.6 million visitors in 2019, and the Leonardo exhibition is a mega-success.”Vincent Delieuvin, one of the exhibition’s two curators, rejected the suggestion that the special opening hours were a publicity stunt. “Do you honestly think we need it?” he asked in a telephone interview hours before the weekend began. “We had 9.6 million visitors in 2019, and the Leonardo exhibition is a mega-success.”
Describing Leonardo as “the identity of the museum, the artist who most represents the Louvre,” Mr. Delieuvin said that a lot of people had been “disappointed” not to have seen “the most complicated show we ever put on.” The free nocturnal tickets, he said, were one solution.Describing Leonardo as “the identity of the museum, the artist who most represents the Louvre,” Mr. Delieuvin said that a lot of people had been “disappointed” not to have seen “the most complicated show we ever put on.” The free nocturnal tickets, he said, were one solution.
“We also wanted to target a different audience of young people, who live more by night,” he added. “And who aren’t going to be as tired as the rest of us at 4 o’clock in the morning.”“We also wanted to target a different audience of young people, who live more by night,” he added. “And who aren’t going to be as tired as the rest of us at 4 o’clock in the morning.”