Des Cars said some areas of the museum "are no longer watertight ... Even the museum's most modern addition, the Grand Louvre, including the famous glass pyramid, largely completed in the 1990s ...

The renovation will include a new entrance near the Seine, ready by 2031, to limit congestion at the Pyramid entrance in the Louvre courtyard. The museum intends to remain open during the project.

The Louvre's latest overhaul dates back to the 1980s, when the iconic glass pyramid was unveiled. Now, the museum is not up to international standards anymore. A look at what's at stake ...