French PM to test free access to museums in Paris

MSNBC

France’s prime minister announced Tuesday that free access would be tested at a sampling of museums in Paris and other towns. Francois Fillon did not name any museums and the Ministry of Culture said it had no immediate details. But Fillon said he wants to make art more accessible and noted that several other European nations have made museums free.

“I want access to our artistic heritage to be truly democratized,” Fillon said in his policy speech to parliament. The Louvre, France’s most famous museum and home to the Mona Lisa, currently charges standard admission of $12. Calls to the museum for comment went unanswered Tuesday evening.

Fillon also said he wants young people to get a “culture passport” valid nationwide to give them easy access to cultural sites.