The Louvre Museum, the most visited in the world, unexpectedly closed its doors on Monday due to a strike by staff denouncing increasingly unsustainable working conditions due to the excess of visitors and lack of human resources. The protest left thousands of stranded tourists in front of the iconic glass pyramid, reigniting the debate on the impact of mass tourism on major cultural centers in Europe.
According to union representatives, museum employees - responsible for security, reception, and public guidance - decided to stop working due to the increasing pressure of a daily influx that far exceeds the capacity of the venue.
“The Louvre is facing a serious crisis: overcrowding due to an uncontrolled number of visitors, chronic lack of staff, and degraded working conditions,” they denounced in a statement.
The museum implemented an emergency route called “Masterpieces Route” to allow limited access to iconic pieces such as the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, but most of the rooms remained closed. The management has not confirmed when the activity will be fully restored, although internal sources anticipate it could be this Wednesday.
The protest is happening at a time when the French government and the museum’s management have launched the ambitious “Louvre Renaissance” plan, endowed with between $750 million and $860 million, which promises structural reforms, a new main entrance, and an exclusive room for the Mona Lisa. However, workers argue that long-term promises do not address the urgency of everyday problems, such as recent budget cuts and the lack of staff in key positions.
In 2023, the museum received 8.9 million visitors, a figure close to pre-pandemic record levels, and it is estimated that this year the number could be even higher. For many employees, this reopening to mass tourism has meant an overload of work without an increase in resources or the implementation of measures to control the flow of people.
The closure of the Louvre, although temporary, occurs while numerous cities such as Barcelona and Venice are facing the effects of overtourism in the world’s major cultural heritage sites.