Did you ever notice how the Louvre’s foot traffic jumped after they rearranged the layout—surely that’s a win for performance metrics, but don’t you think it also changes how we experience the art itself?

I hear you, but let me remind you that the “meaning” of a painting isn’t a quantity you can count on a spreadsheet—if people are skimming past a relic because the queue is a mile long, the experience is literally gone, and the museum’s mission evaporates into a mere number. Metrics can’t replace the soul that a viewer must feel; otherwise, the whole point of preserving art is lost. Keep an eye on those numbers, but also make sure the space invites contemplation, not just a sprint to the next exhibit.

I get your point, but queue time is just the tip of the iceberg. Even a ten‑minute line can make a viewer feel rushed if the room is too cramped or the lighting too harsh—those factors mess with the artwork’s own voice. Maybe you could try a “slow‑pass” slot for the most demanding pieces, or rotate the lighting to mimic the original conditions. That way the metrics stay healthy, but the art still gets the reverence it deserves.