Louvre December strike adds to post-heist woes: How the museum’s bad year stacks up

On November 26, a water leak at Paris’ Louvre Museum damaged between 300 and 400 historical books in the Egyptology and scientific documentation section. Then, on December 8, workers at the museum voted to initiate a strike over poor working conditions.

And that’s only a drop in the bucket compared to the Louvre’s overall woes so far this year.

For years, the Louvre has been struggling with a combination of old, weathered infrastructure and increased foot traffic brought about by mass tourism. But in 2025, the museum has been hit by the full consequences of operating out of a relatively un-updated building to house some of the world’s most influential (and valuable) art.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Louvre’s horrible, no good, very bad year.

A leaked memo reveals the extent of the problem

The year began with a letter that foreshadowed what was to come for the Louvre.

Near the end of January, a private document, written by museum director Laurence des Cars for the French culture minister Rachida Dati, was leaked to the media. In it, des Cars described a museum struggling to accommodate its daily influx of visitors and protect its artwork due to deteriorating spaces, lack of crowd flow measures, and poor environmental controls.

“Visiting the Louvre is a physical ordeal; accessing the artworks takes time and is not always easy,” des Cars wrote. “Visitors have no space to take a break.”

Around the same time, the Louvre announced plans for a massive renovation designed to address these challenges. French President Emmanuel Macron said that the overhaul would include a new entrance on the Seine river, a stand-alone room to house the Mona Lisa, and several new underground rooms to control foot traffic.

Changes to the museum were slated to begin in 2026 and take around a decade to complete—but, as later months would prove, the situation at the museum had already reached a boiling point.

The Louvre shuts down in June

The first major disturbance at the Louvre took place on June 16, when the institution’s own staff members rallied to shut it down. That day, thousands of ticketed patrons waited outside the museum’s iconic glass pyramid, to no avail.

It was a rare occurrence for the Louvre, which has only closed a few other times during war, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a few brief walkouts.

The strike came due to staff’s concerns around mass tourism and overcrowding.

A crown jewel heist fit for the big screen

Perhaps the most memorable calamity at the museum came in October. In a stunt that flummoxed the public (and is likely destined for Netflix adaptation), a group of thieves broke into the Louvre in broad daylight via a basket lift, cut its window panes with a glass cutter, stole nine pieces of priceless jewelry in less than seven minutes, and escaped on motorbikes.

Since the stunning scene, at least eight people have been arrested in connection with the heist, but none of the jewelry—worth more than $100 million—has been found. For obvious reasons, the event has resulted in widespread criticisms of the museum’s security measures.

Water damage and yet another strike

Now, the Louvre has taken two more blows just before the end of the year.

On November 26, a water leak damaged between 300 and 400 books that date from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, in the museum’s Egyptology and scientific documentation section.

A spokesperson for the museum told CNN that the leak happened when a valve, which forms part of a now defunct plumbing system, was opened by accident. The system was shut off earlier this year in anticipation of the coming renovations. The spokesperson added that while the books in question are used regularly by readers, they aren’t the only copies in the world.

And this morning, workers at the Louvre announced that they’re planning this year’s second strike to hold the museum accountable for difficult work conditions and security weaknesses.

In a letter announcing the action, addressed to Dati and viewed by the AP, the unions involved said the museum was in “crisis,” noting that “visiting the Louvre has become a real obstacle course” for millions of visitors.

Fast Company has reached out to representatives from the Louvre for comment on the issue.

The strike is scheduled to begin next Monday, December 15.

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