The renowned Louvre Museum in Paris, distinguished as the world’s most visited museum and a beacon of art and culture, has faced formidable challenges throughout its history, weathering wars, terrorism, and even a global pandemic. Yet, it encountered an unexpected interruption on Monday as its own staff initiated a strike, asserting that the institution is struggling to cope with the immense pressures of mass tourism.
This unprecedented scene saw the institution, home to masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci and countless other treasures, immobilized by the very personnel responsible for welcoming guests from across the globe. Stranded visitors, clutching their tickets, found themselves trapped in long, stationary lines beneath I.M. Pei’s iconic glass pyramid.
Amidst the confusion, Kevin Ward, a 62-year-old visitor from Milwaukee, remarked, “It’s the Mona Lisa moan out here. Thousands of people waiting, no communication, no explanation. I guess even she needs a day off.”
The Louvre epitomizes the struggle of tourism hotspots worldwide as they grapple with unsustainable visitor numbers. While cities like Venice and sites such as the Acropolis are taking measures to reduce crowds, the Louvre now contends with similar challenges, experiencing its own form of a breaking point.
Just prior to this incident, anti-tourism demonstrations surged across southern Europe, affecting locations like Mallorca, Venice, and Lisbon. Protesters denounced an economic model they argue displaces residents and erodes urban life. In one dramatic demonstration, Barcelona activists sprayed tourists with water pistols, symbolically aiming to “cool down” excessive tourism.
The Louvre’s abrupt staff action emerged during what was initially a routine internal meeting. Employees, including gallery attendants, ticket agents, and security staff, refused to resume their duties to protest unmanageable crowd levels, persistent understaffing, and what a union described as “untenable” working conditions.
It’s unusual for the Louvre to close unexpectedly; such occurrences have typically been reserved for moments of war, pandemics, and a handful of prior strikes. The sudden shutdowns, devoid of forewarning and in direct view of countless visitors, underscore the growing urgency of the institution’s challenges.
This disruption follows closely upon French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement of an ambitious, decade-long plan to address these very issues—concerns such as water leaks, dangerous temperature fluctuations, antiquated infrastructure, and overwhelming visitor numbers.
Nevertheless, for Louvre employees, any relief seems distant. “We can’t wait six years for help,” stated Sarah Sefian, a gallery attendant responsible for visitor services. “Our teams are under pressure now. It’s not just about the art — it’s about the people protecting it.”
Arguably, much of the frenzy revolves around the Mona Lisa, a 16th-century masterpiece attracting crowds akin to celebrity appearances. The museum’s largest room, the Salle des États, hosts upwards of 20,000 visitors daily, each vying for a brief moment to snap a photo with the iconic painting. This chaos often overshadows other masterpieces by artists like Titian and Veronese, which largely go unnoticed.
In January, Macron unveiled the “Louvre New Renaissance” renovation plan, offering potential solutions. This initiative includes creating a dedicated room for the Mona Lisa accessible through timed-entry tickets, alongside introducing a new entrance near the Seine River by 2031 to alleviate pressure from the pyramid hub.
“Conditions of display, explanation, and presentation will be up to what the Mona Lisa deserves,” Macron had assured. However, Louvre employees argue that despite proposed investments in infrastructure and exhibition space, the museum’s annual operating subsidies from the French state have dwindled by over 20% in the last decade, despite soaring visitor numbers.
“We take it very badly that Monsieur Le President makes his speeches here in our museum,” Sefian voiced, “but when you scratch the surface, the financial investment of the state is getting worse with each passing year.”
While many strikers remained off duty Monday, Sefian indicated that some might briefly return to allow limited access to major artworks, including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. The museum may resume full operations on Wednesday, with provisions for tourists with time-sensitive tickets for Monday.
The Louvre, which welcomed 8.7 million visitors last year, now struggles to accommodate such numbers within its existing infrastructure. Even with a daily cap of 30,000 visitors, staff describe the experience as an exhausting endurance test, citing a lack of rest areas, limited bathroom facilities, and intensifying summer heat through the pyramid’s greenhouse effect.
A leaked memorandum from Louvre President Laurence des Cars highlighted pressing issues, such as leaks, threatening temperature variations affecting artwork, inadequate visitor amenities like food and signage, and a generally “physical ordeal” of an experience.
Plans to fund the extensive renovation via ticket sales, private donations, state funding, and licensing fees from its Abu Dhabi branch have been discussed. Ticket prices for non-EU visitors are expected to rise this year.
However, the Louvre’s workforce emphasizes the immediacy of their needs against any long-term vision.
Unlike other prominent Parisian sites undergoing government-led restorations, such as Notre Dame and the Centre Pompidou, the Louvre faces a prolonged state of uncertainty, lacking full financing and functionality.
President Macron, whose history with the Louvre includes delivering his 2017 election victory speech there and showcasing it during the 2024 Paris Olympics, has committed to transforming the museum into a safer, modernized space by the decade’s end. Meanwhile, this unparalleled cultural treasure and its myriad visitors continue to grapple with existing infrastructural and leadership challenges.