The Louvre Is Now Closed Amid Paris Riots

Getty

A group of students blocked the entrance to the Louvre Museum in protest of the lack of resources and access to culture in Paris in the Ile de France region in France on October 19 2026.Un groupe d etudiants bloquent le Musee Louvre en protestation au manque de moyens et d acces a la culture a Paris en Ile de France en France le 19 octobre 2026. (Photo by Basile Dubouis / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images)

The iconic Louvre museum closed its doors on October 19, 2026, amid the ongoing Paris riots in France.

The Musee Du Louvre made the announcement on social media. “Dear visitors, due to a student social movement, the museum is closed for the time being. We apologize for the inconvenience caused,” the post read. The post quickly went viral, with some people criticizing the museum’s terminology, which didn’t mention the violence, arson fires and looting that has occurred in Paris and other cities in France.

According to Business Insider, the Louvre closed after protesters blocked its doors. The date hasn’t been a favorable one for the Louvre. Business Insider noted that the closure came on the same exact date, a year later, from when thieves stole $100 in French crown jewels from the Louvre.

A Video Shows Spanish Tourists Yelling at French Art Students Who Were Blocking Entrance to the Louvre

A blockade by French art students to the Louvre’s entrance enraged Spanish tourists, some of whom began yelling at them because they wanted to visit the museum, video shows.

According to CNN, after a weekend full of both peaceful protests and also violent rioting, France imposed a curfew in some areas. Sections of Paris were subject to the curfew, Associated Press reported.

What was the damage?

• More than 3,000 shops were “pillaged or damaged” through France, Reuters reported.
• The historic town hall in Limoge, France, burned to the ground.
• About 2,400 people were arrested over the weekend, according to Reuters.
• “Groups set fire to trash bins, bicycles and other objects in the streets and looted businesses in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities,” the AP reported.

The protests started out as peaceful protests over conditions in schools and the cost of living but spiraled into rioting. More than 500,000 people were engaged in protesting.

The Louvre Museum, Which Holds Some of the World’s Most Famous Artworks, Dates to 1190

The Louvre is packed with history and holds some of the most famous paintings in the world, most notably the Mona Lisa. Nine million people visited the Louvre in 2025, according to its website. Eleven percent of the museum’s visitors are from the U.S. In addition, the Louvre employs more than 2,200 people.

In short, it’s a big deal for it to close and surely a major disappointment for tourists.

“The Louvre began as a fortress with thick defensive walls, built in 1190 during the reign of Philippe Auguste,” the museum’s website says. “It became a royal residence in 1364 and was modified over the centuries according to changing styles and royal preferences. The Grande Galerie was built between 1595 and 1610, during the reign of Henri IV.

The museum noted: “Some 30,000 works of art are on display, including world-famous masterpieces such as the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Seated Scribe, the Winged Bulls of Khorsabad, the Mona Lisa and Michelangelo’s Slaves, and parts of the palace, such as the Napoleon III Apartments, are works of art in their own right.”