The Louvre Museum, the most visited museum in the world and a global symbol of art and culture, shut without notice on Monday as workers staged a walkout in protest over worsening conditions linked to overtourism.
While ticketed guests gathered outside on Monday, confused and frustrated, senior museum officials were reportedly holding an “emergency meeting” behind closed doors. No explanation or timeline for reopening was offered at the time.
The abrupt shutdown left thousands of visitors stranded outside the iconic glass pyramid, many unaware of the strike or its causes.
A sign posted at the entrance cited a “movement of the museum staff” and apologised for the inconvenience. The strike was later confirmed to be organised by the Sud Culture Solidaires union, which held an internal general assembly to discuss working conditions and next steps.
“It’s no longer a museum — it’s a machine”
The strike was triggered by what staff described as “unbearable” crowding and deteriorating working conditions. Many reported burnout, unsafe environments, and long-term understaffing.
The Louvre welcomed 8.7 million visitors in 2024—more than double what its infrastructure was designed to accommodate. Staff warn that the daily volume of tourists, often exceeding 30,000, is not only unsustainable but dangerous.
Crowd control issues are particularly extreme around the Mona Lisa, where queue times regularly exceed 90 minutes and security staff are stretched thin.
Unlike other major Paris landmarks like Notre Dame Cathedral and the Centre Pompidou, both receiving government-backed restorations, the Louvre remains in limbo: under pressure, underfunded, and struggling to function at full capacity.
“This isn’t a shopping centre,” the union said. “It’s a museum, and it should be protected as such.”
Workers demand limits, safety, and dignity
The strike list includes demands for:
- A daily visitor cap of 20,000 people
- Increased staffing for security and guest services
- Enhanced safety measures for frontline workers
- Fairer wages and more predictable schedules
Staff say the museum’s current state is no longer safe or respectful, either to employees or the cultural treasures housed inside.
“We’re here to protect the art,” one worker told French media. “But we also need to protect ourselves.”
Overtourism and inequality: Who gets to travel?
Just a day earlier, co-ordinated anti-tourism protests swept across southern Europe.
Thousands of locals took to the streets in Mallorca, Venice, Lisbon, and beyond, protesting an economic model that they say pushes locals out and hollows out community life.
In Barcelona, activists took a more theatrical approach as they famously did last year, spraying unsuspecting tourists with water pistols in a symbolic attempt to “cool down” the city’s overheated tourism problem.
In a powerful piece, Travel Noire added that the strike also underscores deeper inequities in global tourism. Many Louvre workers, including cleaners, guards, and ticket staff, are people of colour or immigrants, managing large, often wealthy crowds while working under pressure for low pay.
“These are the people who keep tourism running,” Travel Noire noted, “but they’re also the most exposed to its excesses.”
For tourism marketers, agents, and policy makers, the Louvre strike is a warning: unless the industry evolves with a greater focus on sustainability, equity, and worker wellbeing, more iconic experiences may be lost or locked behind closed doors.
As one Louvre staffer summed it up:
“We’re not anti-tourist. We’re pro-safety, pro-dignity, and pro-art.”
The Louvre was closed on Tuesday due to its regular closure, which was in line with standard weekly hours.
According to its official website, the Musée du Louvre will open on Wednesday as usual at 0900. Ticket holders and anyone wishing to visit are advised to check the website for the most up-to-date information.
