The French Ministry of Culture has announced that the Louvre Museum and several other major museums in Paris will be closed on Saturday due to concerns that protests may lead to violent clashes.
The Louvre Museum posted a notice on its official website stating that it will be temporarily closed on October 24, 2026 (Saturday). Visitors who have already purchased tickets will receive automatic refunds.
The Musée d’Orsay and the Musée National Picasso will also be closed on Saturday.
Last weekend, France experienced some of the most serious violent clashes in recent years, with protests in several areas escalating into chaos. Rioters set fires, smashed storefront windows, looted property, and clashed with police. Subsequently, several cities imposed bans on demonstrations.
In Paris, following a court decision overturning the government’s protest ban, thousands of protesters took to the streets on Thursday, October 22.
The French Ministry of Culture has urged all institutions under its jurisdiction to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of visitors and staff, as well as to protect artworks.
In addition to top museums like the Louvre, some other cultural and artistic events have taken similar responsive measures. The “Art Basel Paris” in Paris, after two days of invitation-only visits, opened to the public on Friday. However, the organizers announced on Thursday that weekend activities would be canceled in response to potential unrest threats.
The Grand Palais in Paris is currently hosting the “Art Basel Paris” exhibition, which is recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious contemporary art fairs, showcasing exhibits from 211 galleries worldwide.
According to the Associated Press, New York artist Drake Carr expressed regret at the situation. He described Art Basel as somewhat like the “Olympics of the art world” and is exhibiting his works through the Mariposa Gallery.
On Thursday afternoon, a protest took place in Paris, which was relatively peaceful overall. However, the organizers of Art Basel announced the decision to cancel weekend events that day, as the protests expected on Saturday were anticipated to be much larger in scale.
The official website of Art Basel also released a similar announcement, indicating that they would be contacting those who already held tickets for the weekend.