art world recently shocked to learn that one of the most popular museums, Louvre, are going to open a fast food restaurant McDonald's. Many museum staff do not hide their disgust. "The worst you can imagine - laments one of art historians working in the Louvre. - [McDonald's] - it is the apotheosis of unbridled consumerism, rotten food and unpleasant smell, which is unacceptable in the Museum».

The head of the website The Art Tribune Rikner Didier (Didier Rykner) venture called shocking. "Do not argue, in the museum should be a place where people can eat, - he said. - But McDonald's is hardly a top gastronomy. According Riknera, can not mix art and culture of mass consumption. "Today, McDonald's, next shop cheap clothes" - he added.

Representatives of McDonald's reported that the snack bar (with a store McCafé) will open next month. It will be located in the underground heart of "the Louvre Carousel", where many cafes, shops and galleries. Initially assumed that the commercial activity of all these institutions must be somehow linked with culture. Until recently, the special problems this was not: after all, fashion and haute cuisine is an integral part of French culture. Guide the Louvre has the right to prohibit open in Carousels institutions that do not meet his criteria. A McDonald's, apparently, corresponds. Snack will represent America in a new food court, where dishes from around the world can be tasted in special cafes.

Shopping Centre was started in 1993, four years after the discovery of the famous pyramid designed by architect JM Peem (I. M. Pei). Now the pyramid is the main entrance to the museum. It was built specifically to cope with the influx of visitors. But since the beginning of this decade, the number of visitors has increased by as much as the Louvre 67 per cent, and huge queues at the pyramid are commonplace. Last year, the museum visited 8,5 million, and in 2014, this figure should increase to 10 million. Director of the Louvre, Henri Loirette (Henri Loyrette) has appealed to the Bureau JM Pei request to rebuild the entrance to the pyramid. In addition, we plan to put the ticket office ... next to McDonald's. In this case, the first thing many visitors will see the entrance to the Louvre, will gold arcs "temple of fast food» ...

last year near the entrance to the museum opened a coffee shop Starbucks. Employees of the Louvre Museum and art lovers sent the network a letter of protest, but to conquer them Starbucks did not succeed. However, the cafe had to make some concessions - in particular, it has opened a "cultural corner", where you can look at brochures and catalogs.

«Starbucks - it's terrible, but McDonald's worse", - says one historian of the Louvre.

«They say that there will be a McDonald's high-level - laughs Didier Rikner. - But McDonald's high-level does not happen!»

This year marks 30 years since McDonald's has embarked on Gallic soil. France is the most important (after the U.S.) stronghold of the corporation. In the last year alone was open 30 new restaurants. McDonald's in the Louvre will be 1 142 m in a row.

While the profits of traditional bistros and brasseries of the crisis are falling, McDonald's through the incredible low cost is increasingly successful. In 2008, the French "temples of fast food" was visited by 450 million people - 11 percent more than in the previous year. This, of course, take into account Henri Loirette, who is actively engaged in raising funds for numerous projects in the Louvre - in particular, to build a new wing that will house a collection of Islamic art.

material prepared by Julia Maksimov, AI

Sources: telegraph.co.uk , nytimes.com , juxtapoz.com , artinvestment.ru