Due to a protest on Monday, January 5, the world's most visited museum was closed in the morning and only partially reopened in the afternoon, transmits Dezeen.
The strikers called on the museum's director, Laurence de Car, to abandon the renovation project, known as New Renaissance. The action followed a series of protests organized in December by the CFDT, CGT and Solidaires Unitaires Démocratiques unions.
The renovation project, announced by French President Emmanuel Macron last January, involves creating a second entrance to the museum and a separate exhibition space for Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. The total cost of the work is estimated at more than 700 million euros, of which 666 million is for the new entrance alone. It could be the Louvre's biggest renovation since 1989, when a glass pyramid designed by I. M. Pei appeared in the museum's courtyard.
The Mona Lisa in the Louvre. Photo: Associated Press
At the same time, museum staff insist that technical work that guarantees the safety of staff and the preservation of collections should be a top priority. This issue has become particularly urgent after the robbery last October, when the museum jewels were stolen worth 88 million euros - they still haven't been found.
An audit published after the incident showed that the Louvre had for years prioritized “visible and attractive” projects over investments in the technical condition and security system of the historic French Renaissance-style building.
Despite the protests, a shortlist of five architectural teams was announced in October to carry out the renovation. They include AL_A, Sou Fujimoto Architects, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Selldorf Architects, and SANAA in partnership with French offices.
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