Louvre unexpectedly closed due to strike, leaving thousands at the door

The Louvre museum kept its doors closed this Monday, following a decision by its own employees, who denounce the institution's internal collapse.

Yet the moment seemed to go beyond a simple labor protest, as the Louvre became a symbol of the phenomenon of global overtourism, overwhelmed by its own popularity.

As tourist destinations like Venice and the Acropolis struggle to limit crowds, the world's most iconic museum is facing its own breaking point, the AP news agency reports.

The spontaneous strike broke out during an internal meeting, when hall attendants, ticket agents and security guards refused to take up their posts in protest against uncontrollable crowds, chronic staff shortages and what one union described as "unsustainable working conditions."

"It's the Mona Lisa's lament out here," said Kevin Ward, 62, an American who was one of thousands of visitors stuck in motionless queues beneath architect IM Pei's glass pyramid, adding: "Thousands of people waiting, no communication, no explanation. I think even she needs a day off."

The Louvre Museum closing to the public is a rare occurrence, having only happened during wars, the pandemic and a few strikes --- including spontaneous walkouts due to overcrowding in 2019 and safety concerns in 2013.

But rarely has the scene been so confusing: tourists filling the square, tickets in hand, with no clear explanation for the museum's sudden closure.

The disruption came just months after President Emmanuel Macron unveiled an ambitious long-term plan to save the Louvre from problems that have now surfaced, including leaks, dangerous temperature swings, outdated infrastructure and visitor numbers far exceeding the museum's capacity.

For workers on the ground, that promised future seems distant.

"We can't wait six years for help, because our teams are under pressure now. It's not just about the art --- it's about the people who protect it," said Sarah Sefian of the CGT-Culture union.

At the centre of it all is the Mona Lisa, the 16th-century portrait that draws the crowds. Some 20,000 people a day squeeze into the Salle des États, the museum’s largest room, just to take a selfie with Leonardo da Vinci’s enigmatic figure, protected by glass, in a scene that is often noisy, chaotic and so dense that many barely glance at the masterpieces surrounding it, such as those by Titian and Veronese, which are largely ignored.

"You don't see a painting. You see cell phones. You see elbows. You feel the heat. And then they push you out," said Ji-Hyun Park, 28, who traveled from Seoul to Paris.

Macron's renovation plan, dubbed the "New Renaissance of the Louvre", promises to solve the problem by giving the Mona Lisa her own room, accessible by ticket and appointment, and also by 2031 a new entrance next to the River Seine to relieve pressure on the main entrance, which is under the pyramid.

"The conditions of exhibition, explanation and presentation will be up to what the Mona Lisa deserves," Macron said in January.

Last year, the Louvre received 8.7 million visitors, more than double what it was designed for.

Even with a daily limit of 30,000 visitors, staff say the experience has become a daily endurance test, with few rest areas, insufficient bathrooms and the summer heat amplified by the greenhouse effect of the glass pyramid.

In an internal memo released to the press, Louvre president Laurence des Cars warned that parts of the building "are no longer watertight," that temperature fluctuations put priceless works at risk, and that even visitors' basic needs -- food, bathrooms, signage -- fall far short of international standards, describing the experience as "a physical ordeal."

“What started as a monthly information session turned into a collective outpouring of exasperation,” said Sarah Sefian, adding that negotiations between workers and management began at 10:30 a.m. and continued into the afternoon.

The total renovation plan --- expected to cost 700 to 800 million euros --- is expected to be financed through ticket sales, private donations, state funds and licenses from the Louvre's Abu Dhabi branch, with ticket prices for tourists outside the European Union expected to rise later this year.

But workers warn that their needs are more urgent than any 10-year plan, and unlike other Parisian landmarks such as Notre-Dame Cathedral or the Pompidou Centre, both of which are undergoing government-funded restoration work, the Louvre remains at an impasse --- neither fully funded nor fully functional.