Louvre museum shuts down due to staff strike

The Louvre, the most visited museum in the world and a global symbol of art, beauty, and sustainability, was closed today — not because of war or terror, but due to its exhausted staff, who say the institution is being destroyed from within, according to AP.

It was an almost unimaginable sight: the home of Leonardo da Vinci’s works and millennia-old treasures of civilization — paralyzed by the very people responsible for welcoming the world to its galleries, CE Report quotes ATA.

Yet, the moment felt bigger than a workers’ protest.

The Louvre has become a warning sign of global mass tourism — a building overwhelmed by its own popularity.

The spontaneous strike erupted during a routine internal meeting, as gallery workers, ticket agents, and security staff refused to perform their duties — protesting against unbearable crowds, chronic understaffing, and what a union described as “unbearable” working conditions.

It is rare for the Louvre to close its doors to the public. It has happened during wars, the pandemic, and a short staff strike in 2019 — but never like this: with tourists lining up in the square, tickets in hand, and no clear understanding of why the world’s most famous museum was closed.

This disruption comes just months after French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled a comprehensive 10-year plan to save the Louvre from exactly these problems — water leaks, dangerous temperature fluctuations, outdated infrastructure, and pedestrian traffic far exceeding what the museum can handle.

But for the workers on the ground, that promised future seems far away.

“We can’t wait six years for help,” said Sarah Sefian from the union CGT-Culture.

“Our teams are under pressure now. It’s not just about the art — it’s about the people who protect it,” she added.