Employees at the Louvre Museum in Paris have decided to extend their strike, which has already disrupted operations at the world’s most visited museum. The strike escalated due to ongoing issues such as chronic understaffing, deterioration of the building, and recent management decisions, particularly in light of a significant crown jewels heist that occurred in October. The decision to extend the walkout was made during a general assembly on Monday, where union workers unanimously agreed to continue their protest.
The museum was already closed on Tuesday for its regular weekly shutdown, and uncertainty looms over whether the strike will lead to a complete closure on Wednesday. Visitors with tickets were seen queuing outside the museum in the morning as management evaluated staffing levels to determine if there would be enough employees available to safely open the galleries.
Tensions among the staff have intensified due to the fallout from the recent theft, which highlighted serious security lapses at the museum. In response, officials from the Culture Ministry held crisis talks with union representatives on Monday. They proposed measures such as cancelling a planned funding cut slated for 2026, initiating new recruitment for gallery guards and visitor services, and increasing staff compensation. However, union officials have stated that these measures do not adequately address the concerns raised by employees.
On Wednesday, Louvre President Laurence des Cars is scheduled to appear before the Senate’s culture committee as lawmakers continue to investigate the security failures at the museum. Des Cars has acknowledged an “institutional failure” in the wake of the heist but has faced increased scrutiny after revealing that she only learned of a critical security audit from 2019 after the robbery occurred.
The France’s Court of Auditors and a separate administrative inquiry have criticized the delays in implementing necessary security overhauls that were promised. Last month, the Culture Ministry announced emergency anti-intrusion measures and appointed Philippe Jost, known for overseeing the restoration of Notre Dame, to assist with reorganizing the museum’s security protocols. This action has been interpreted as an indication of the mounting pressure on Louvre leadership to address these critical issues effectively.
As the strike continues, the future of operations at the Louvre remains uncertain, with both visitors and staff closely monitoring developments.
