Paris Museum Housing 'Mona Lisa' Closes As Staff Protest Tourist Overcrowding

The Louvre museum in Paris, renowned for masterpieces like the Mona Lisa, unexpectedly closed on Monday due to a staff strike. Ticket agents, gallery attendants, and security personnel walked out, citing overcrowding and understaffing, which caused long lines and frustrated tourists. Following a four-hour negotiation with management, the Louvre reopened, allowing access to weary visitors.

According to a CNN Style report, visitors were left frustrated, holding tickets without any official communication from museum authorities. The strike was reportedly linked to staff concerns over increasing tourist crowds and working conditions.

"It's the Mona Lisa moan out here," said Kevin Ward, 62, from Milwaukee, one of thousands of confused visitors corralled into unmoving lines beneath I.M. Pei's glass pyramid. "Thousands of people waiting, no communication, no explanation. I guess even she needs a day off."

Monday's strike comes after French President Emmanuel Macron announced earlier this year that the centuries-old Louvre would undergo renovations to include a separate wing for the Mona Lisa to control crowds better, according to United Press International (UPI).

The "New Renaissance" project, which will repair and modernise the former royal palace, will take a decade to complete. Ticket prices are slated to go up next year for tourists who do not live in the European Union to help pay for the project.

Last year alone, 8.7 million tourists visited the Louvre, with many complaining about insufficient signage, tight spaces, and lack of restrooms. The Louvre was originally designed to accommodate 4 million visitors a year.

Louvre President Laurence des Cars, who was appointed in 2021, limited visitors to 30,000 a day after attendance surged in 2018 to more than 10 million. He has warned that parts of the museum are "no longer watertight" and that fluctuating temperatures could damage the priceless artwork.