Employees at the world-famous Musée du Louvre in Paris walked off the job on Monday in the latest escalation of labor unrest at the historic institution. The strike action, organized by three major unions, forced the museum to close during morning hours and highlighted growing tensions over working conditions and infrastructure concerns. Workers are demanding that museum leadership abandon controversial plans for a massive new entrance and underground complex, arguing that the ambitious project diverts critical resources from essential maintenance needs. The museum partially reopened at noon, allowing visitors to access only the most celebrated masterpieces through a special entrance along the Seine River while staff convened near the iconic glass pyramid main entrance.
Approximately 350 staff members, including curators, conservators, and other museum professionals, cast unanimous votes in favor of the strike action according to official union announcements. The French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT), one of the three unions leading the movement, reported that the level of tension within the national museum is unprecedented. A union spokesperson stated that veteran employees have never witnessed such intense labor discord at a French cultural institution of this magnitude. The striking workers planned to reconvene early Tuesday morning, taking advantage of the museum's regular weekly closure day to strategize before continuing negotiations with France's Ministry of Culture.
The central conflict revolves around Director Laurence des Cars' sweeping €666 million redevelopment initiative, which calls for constructing a new museum entrance and an extensive subterranean complex surrounding the Mona Lisa, complete with a state-of-the-art exhibition hall. Union leaders contend that this plan is financially unrealistic and represents a complete misallocation of desperately needed resources. They argue that the director should focus instead on critical technical maintenance required to preserve the museum's priceless collections, many of which are housed in aging facilities with deteriorating infrastructure. The complete breakdown of trust between staff and leadership has become the primary obstacle to resolving the dispute.
Financial documents that have come to light reveal a troubling disparity in budget priorities that has fueled worker outrage. In the proposed 2026 budget, des Cars allocated a staggering €100 million for preliminary studies related to her grand redevelopment vision while setting aside only €15 million for essential technical maintenance. Of that smaller maintenance budget, a mere €1.8 million is designated specifically for the safety and security of the museum's works. This lopsided distribution has reinforced the staff's perception that management prioritizes high-profile, visible projects over the fundamental preservation work that ensures the collection's long-term survival.
The current strike follows a three-day walkout that occurred during the week before Christmas, indicating a pattern of escalating labor action at the institution. The situation has been further inflamed by the theft of the crown jewels in October, a crime that remains unsolved despite the arrest of four suspects. Several official reports issued in the wake of the heist have highlighted the accelerated degradation of the museum's infrastructure, attributing it to considerable delays in maintenance work as resources have been systematically redirected toward visible and attractive operations rather than essential structural upkeep. These security failures have validated worker concerns about neglected infrastructure.
Later this week, a parliamentary investigation into the safety and security of French museums is scheduled to begin, which is expected to increase pressure on des Cars to resign from her directorial position. The investigation will likely examine how budget decisions and management priorities have contributed to security vulnerabilities and infrastructure decay. Union leaders maintain that trust between staff and leadership has been completely shattered, making it nearly impossible to move forward with any plans until fundamental changes occur in both management approach and budget allocation. The outcome of this investigation could have far-reaching implications for cultural heritage management across France.
