New Delhi: The Louvre Museum in France, the world’s most visited cultural institution, abruptly closed on Monday morning when gallery attendants, ticket agents and security personnel walked off the site in a spontaneous protest against the mass tourism, chronic understaffing and deteriorating working conditions.
The employees went on strike during a routine staff briefing at around 10.30 am and left thousands of visitors stranded outside the glass pyramid entrance with many holding valid tickets and for waiting hours with little explanation. However, the access to museum was resumed around 2:30 pm local time. As one visitor said, “It’s the Mona Lisa moan out here. Thousands of people waiting, no communication, no explanation. I guess even she needs a day off.”
Repeated complaints of ‘untenable’ environment
The museum staff pointed to overwhelming crowds with up to 20,000 people entering the Salle de États to glimpse the Mona Lisa as well as the outdated infrastructure with leaks, fluctuating temperatures and insufficient restroom, according to a report by the Associated Press.
It is a rare thing for Louvre to close its doors to the public. It previously happened during the wartime or prevalence of a pandemic or strikes, including walkouts in 2013 and 2019.
The disruption comes in the wake of French President Emmanuel Macron’s decade long plan to rescue the Louvre from problems that have been boiling over.
“We can’t wait six years for help,” said Sarah Sefian of the CGT-Culture union. “Our teams are under pressure now. It’s not just about the art — it’s about the people protecting it.”
Mona Lisa draws crowd from across the world
The painting of Mona Lisa draws a huge footfall with approximately 20,000 people from across the world pouring in to catch a glimpse of Leonardo da Vinci’s finest creation.
Macron’s renovation plans involves the restructuring of the “Louvre New Renaissance” and promises a new reform. The Mona Lisa is to get her own dedicated room that will be accessible through a timed ticket entry.
A new entrance will be constructed near the Seine River by 2031 to relieve pressure from the overwhelmed museum.
The Louvre has welcomed approximately 8.7 million people last year but the capacity to accommodate visitors and tourists are however, limited.
The museum continues to face problems that pose increasing threat to the priceless creations treasured inside. Questions of the building no longer being watertight have surfaced after concerns raised by Louvre President Laurence des Cars.
