The Louvre Museum closed after staff walked out over overcrowding, decaying infrastructure and deep funding cuts, leaving visitors locked out in protest

The Louvre Museum closed its doors on June 16. Many visitors were left confused outside as they waited to visit the place.

Staff at the Louvre staged a rare work stoppage over poor working conditions and relentless crowds, as Europe grapples with the growing strain of overtourism.

El Louvre, el museo más visitado del mundo y un símbolo global de arte, belleza y resistencia, ha resistido guerras, terrorismo y pandemias,

The Paris museum has become a symbol of tourism pushed to its limits. Workers point to unmanageable crowds, chronic understaffing and what one union called “untenable” working conditions.

The Louvre strike, though sudden, was not without cause. Workers described 'untenable' conditions worsened by overcrowding, chronic understaffing, and crumbling infrastructure. With nearly 8.7 million visitors last year—more than double what its current systems were designed to handle—the Louvre has become emblematic of cultural landmarks pushed to their limits.

Anyone travelling to the French capital has been told to rethink their visit to a popular tourist destination, or to be prepared to change their plans.

Thousands of angry tourists waited for hours outside the Louvre on Monday morning after the Paris museum's staff staged a surprise strike.