Employees of the Louvre Museum voted Monday for strikes to protest their work conditions and the security gap that allowed a brazen theft of France’s Crown Jewels, which have not been recovered.
They also want to hike prices for non-European visitors.
A letter written by the staff, addressed to France’s culture minister, three unions assured that “visiting the Louvre has become a real obstacle course” and urged for change, as the museum is in a state of “crisis” and, what’s more, “increasingly deteriorated working conditions”.
The claim that “the theft of 19 October 2025 highlighted shortcomings in priorities that had long been reported” certainly gives us something to chew on.
The infamous October incident, the result of “a terrible failure” as admitted by the museum’s director, allowed a robbery gang to flee in eight minutes with a loot estimated at 88 million euros, but which is in fact priceless from a cultural standpoint. The precious jewels have not been recovered and, unfortunately, are probably lost forever.
But few people know that the former royal palace also suffered a water leak that damaged several hundred publications. The opening of a valve triggered the leak in a network of water pipes that are due to be replaced next year.
“Dealing with it next year” seems to be a leitmotif, particularly when it comes to the arts: but it seems unacceptable that management should be indolent about such an important attraction.
The damaged works on Egyptian antiquities included revues and documents from the 19th and 20th century.
This is probably what broke the camel’s back in terms of collective upset.
Also last month, the Louvre closed some of its employees’ offices and one public gallery because of weakened floor beams.
