Jay-Z and Beyonce’s “Apes*!t” Video Helped Louvre Museum Attract 10 Million Visitors in 2018
Jay-Z and Beyoncé helped Paris, France's most prestigious museum achieve record-breaking attendance numbers in 2018.
According to a report from the Louvre (Jan. 3), the museum that holds the original Mona Lisa painting had a record 10.2 million visitors in 2018. That marks a 25 percent increase from 2017. Along with the recovery of tourism in France, the Louvre specifically credits the Carters' "Apes**t" music video for boosting interest in the museum since the couple dropped the visual for the lead single off their joint album, Everything is Love.
After the Ricky Saiz-directed video dropped, the Louvre embraced the Carters' passion for the historic works of art the Louvre features by curating a special tour inspired by the visual. Visitors were given the opportunity to enjoy a 90-minute tour consisting of the 17 "iconic works" featured in the video for the Pharrell-produced banger. The self-guided tour allows visitors to learn the history behind key pieces like the Portrait of a Black Woman, Great Sphinx of Tanis, Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa and more.
Before their joint album dropped, the Carters initially pitched their video treatment to Louvre officials last year. Museum reps declined to disclose exactly how much the hip-hop royal couple dished out to gain private access to the space. However, according to the museum, private access to the iconic art house can cost up to as much as $17,500 for a day.
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