The renovation project of the Louvre signifies the possibility of harmony between modernity andhistory. Louvre, originally constructed as a fortress, was the home of the kings of France until Louis XIVchose Versailles for his household, leaving the Louvre primarily as a home for artists and intellectuals. Inthe late 1800s, the Louvre was damaged in a fire. The fire entirely destroyed the interior of the palace,spreading to the museum next to it. The decision to turn the Louvre into a massive repository of the world’s greatest fine art collectionwas proposed in 1981 by the French President François Mitterrand. However, the old royal palace wasbarely functional as a museum. The challenge was in turning a historical building into a modern museumequipped to cater for a large ever-growing number of visitors. The architect Ieoh Ming Pei was named todesign the Grand Louvre project. His proposal for a glass pyramid was extremely controversial. Manybelieved that this historic site was already “saturated with architectural styles….” Pei overcame thenegative response from officials and historians to his design.
Pei was convinced that, in addition to educating the public, with competition from many otherrecreation businesses, museums needed to be attractive enough to make people want to spend the daythere. The architecture must provide comfortable surroundings. Most importantly, a museum should notonly be a place to see art but also should be an aesthetic experience in itself. Louvre’s glass pyramid wasonce decried as an architectural “obscenity” but nowadays, it has become a cherished icon of the Frenchcapital, drawing over a million visitors every year.
【題組】80 What is the purpose of a museum according to I.M. Pei?
(A) To display its architectural style.
(B) To preserve and store national treasures.
(C) To entertain officials and historians.
(D) To educate the public and have aesthetic experiences.
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