Louvre Museum Closed for Hours Amid Surprise Staff Strike Over Work Conditions

The world-famous Louvre Museum was forced to shut its doors for around 4 hours on Monday, June 16th, after a sudden work stoppage by its staff.

The strike disrupted visits for thousands of tourists and sparked a widespread debate across France about working conditions at the Museum. According to the New York Times, “On Monday morning, when droves of visitors lined up to enter the Louvre Museum to see some of the world’s most revered art, like the Mona Lisa, they were met with disappointing news. The famed tourist magnet was not open and did not open for several hours because of a ‘social movement’ started by staff, a museum spokeswoman said.” The stoppage began on Monday morning after staff voiced urgent concerns about overcrowding and understaffing. There were also concerns about the pressures and stresses of maintaining safety and visitor experience in a museum that attracts around 30,000 guests a day. Even with a limit of 30,000 visitors a day, staff say that the working conditions are a “test of endurance” with few rest areas, limited bathrooms, and summer heat magnified by I.M. Pei’s glass pyramid.

The Louvre’s Administration responded to the strike by temporarily closing the museum. According to the Associated Press, “Thousands of stranded and confused visitors, tickets in hand, were corralled into unmoving lines by I.M. Pei’s glass pyramid.” Long lines of visitors were left in the pyramid at 79°F, and the glass pyramid and crowded area made temperatures even warmer. The visitors were only told over an hour later that they would not be able to get in the museum.

The striking staff demanded not only an increase in personnel but also improvements in working conditions, such as better crowd management and more regular maintenance support. Pascal Borden, a museum guard interviewed by France 24, stated, “It’s not just about pay — it’s about the quality of work. We want to feel safe and respected, and right now, we don’t.” The staff are demanding more pay, a bigger workforce, and better working conditions.

The Louvre has experienced labor unrest before, including a strike in 2023 over similar concerns. The difference is that this week’s strike was unplanned. According to Euronews, Claire Fontaine, a labor historian at Sorbonne University, said, “It’s a wake-up call. We’ve relied too long on their passion without matching it with proper support.” The strike reflects the frustration about working conditions among front-line workers.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/arts/design/louvre-staff-strikes-tourism.html

https://www.france24.com/en/france/20250616-overwhelmed-louvre-workers-strike-to-protest-overtourism-shutting-down-world-s-most-visited-museum

https://apnews.com/article/louvre-museum-paris-closed-lines-delay-2bbf9be4f49de739fd14dd4d908e4d72

https://www.euronews.com/culture/2025/06/16/paris-louvre-closure-leaves-thousands-waiting-as-officials-hold-undisclosed-emergency-talk