How Much Would It Cost To See The Mona Lisa Privately?

So how much would you pay to get to see that Mona Lisa smile up close and personal - alone - without any fellow gawkers blocking your view? If you've ever been to the Louvre (Loov) you probably know that museumgoers usually can get no closer than 15 feet away from the Paris museum's most famous piece of art. But each year, the Mona Lisa is taken out from behind the bulletproof glass that protects it so that conservation experts can examine it more closely as it's long been warping and cracking. So they auctioned off a chance to get to see this happen and somebody paid $98,000 for the privilege.

The winner also gets a private tour of the museum's Grande Galerie, which features works by Italian greats such as Caravaggio and Raphael. The special auction is just one way the Louvre is trying to raise money to offset the severe financial hit it's taken this year due to the pandemic. Reportedly the museum is set to lose up to $110 million in 2020 revenue.

Some of the other experiences that sold, including a private night tour of the museum by torchlight, which went for $46,000, and a private concert in the museum's Caryatids room, which someone snatched up for $51,000. Auction organizers say proceeds from the sales will go toward making the Louvre "accessible to all."