Overview

• On June 16, front-of-house staff at the Louvre Museum in Paris staged a protest that delayed the morning opening and left thousands of visitors waiting outside.
• The spontaneous walkout involved gallery attendants, reception employees and security workers affiliated with CGT-Culture.
• Staff cited chronic overcrowding—8.7 million visitors in 2024, 77% from abroad—and understaffed ticket and information desks as their main grievances.
• The museum’s website warned that some exhibition rooms might remain closed and opening could resume later in the afternoon.
• The disruption intensifies pressure on an $800 million renovation plan announced in January to expand entrances, modernize facilities and create a dedicated Mona Lisa gallery.