Paris' Louvre museum to increase ticket price for visitors from outside the European Union

PARIS —

Paris' Louvre museum has approved a ticket hike from 22 to 32 euros ($25 to 37) for non-European visitors from January to help finance an overhaul of the building whose degradation has been exposed by the Oct. 19 crown jewels heist.

The measure was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this year as part of a decade-long plan of renovation and expansion of the museum. Security breaches that allowed the 88 million-euro ($102 million) theft highlighted the urgency of the situation.

From Jan. 14, nationals from outside the European Union will have to pay 10 euros more. The measure was approved Thursday by the Louvre governing board. Nationals from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, countries that signed up to the European Economic Area agreement, will be exempted fro