Louvre plagued by leaks and crumbling infrastructure, museum boss warns
The Louvre, the world's most visted museum, is suffering structural damage that threatens its future as a global cultural treasure, according to a confidential memo revealed by French newspaper Le Parisien, which cited leaks, overcrowding and inadequate facilities.
In a private memo sent to Culture Minister Rachida Dati on 13 January, Louvre director Laurence des Cars warned of "the severe reality of our overstressed buildings", with many areas reaching "a worrying level of obsolescence".
The museum was originally designed to receive 4 million annual visitors but now handles more than double that number, recording 8.7 million guests in 2024. This surge has left the historic building struggling under unprecedented strain.
"The visitor has no space to take a break. Accessing the artworks takes time and is not always straightforward," des Cars wrote. She also described the museum's food options and restroom facilities as "falling well below international standards".
Maintenance issues
The report outlined major maintenance issues, with des Cars pointing to "a proliferation of damage" across museum spaces, some of which are "no longer watertight". She warned that "concerning temperature variations" now pose a threat to the preservation of priceless artworks.
Even the Louvre's iconic glass pyramid, unveiled in 1989 as part of François Mitterrand's Grand Louvre project, comes in for criticism.
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