World's most-visited museum faces closure as unions call strike
What's the story
The Louvre museum in Paris, the world's most-visited museum, is facing possible closure this week due to a strike by trade unions. The unions are demanding urgent renovations and an increase in staffing levels at the iconic institution. They are also protesting against a recent hike in ticket prices for non-European Union visitors, including tourists from Britain and America.
Strike details
Unions demand urgent renovations and staffing increases
The Louvre's unions—CGT, Sud, and CFDT—have called for a rolling strike. They say staff feel like "the last bastion before collapse." The museum has been through a tough time recently with a jewel heist, a damaging water leak, and safety concerns over a gallery ceiling. The unions claim these incidents highlight years of difficulties and state underinvestment at the museum which welcomed 8.7 million visitors last year.
Recent incidents
Jewel heist and water leak damage at Louvre
The museum is still recovering from a jewel heist on October 19. A gang of four stole an estimated €88 million worth of French crown jewels in seven minutes before escaping on scooters. Four men have been arrested and placed under formal investigation, but the jewels remain missing. In November, a water leak damaged 300 to 400 journals, books, and documents in the Egyptian department.
Ticket price hike
Louvre raises ticket prices for non-EU visitors
The Louvre is also raising ticket prices by 45% for non-EU visitors to fund structural improvements. This move has been criticized as discriminatory by the unions. Christian Galani, a CGT union official representing Louvre workers, said it was "unacceptable discrimination" to charge more for a dilapidated museum with chronic staff shortages and closed-off rooms.
Security concerns
Security upgrades at Louvre criticized as inadequate
France's state auditor has criticized the pace of security upgrades at the Louvre as "woefully inadequate." Guy Tubiana, a senior police officer and security adviser, was "stunned" by the malfunctions he discovered during an investigation into the jewel robbery. The preliminary investigation revealed "a chronic underestimation" of break-in risks and underinvestment in security measures. Philippe Jost, who led the Notre-Dame cathedral rebuilding project, will study a "deep reorganization" of the Louvre next month.