Louvre draws record crowds

The Louvre Museum in Paris had a record number of visitors in 2005, with successful soirees for young people, crowd-pleasing exhibitions and promotion from Dan Brown’s hugely successful novel, “The Da Vinci Code.”

About 7.3 million people visited the art museum in 2005, up from its previous record of 6.7 million in 2004, general administrator Didier Selles said in an interview Tuesday.

Selles said Brown’s mystical thriller was in part responsible for drawing fans to the Louvre, though likely “not in gigantic proportions.” Some travel companies offer “Da Vinci Code” tours that make stops at the Louvre.

The museum expects more dramatic results starting this spring, when Ron Howard’s movie based on the novel premieres. The film stars Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou and was shot partly in the Louvre.

Another factor in the museum’s booming attendance was Friday night soirees that are free for those younger than 26. The Louvre also made efforts to cut down on waits for visitors.