France to close Louvre and other museums on October 24 over possible protests

France’s Ministry of Culture has decided to close the Louvre, Orsay and Picasso museums in Paris to visitors on October 24 amid possible protests. The decision was taken as security measures were tightened following the Yellow Vest demonstrations on October 17.

Scraper SystemOctober 23, 2026, 07:04 PM

France to close Louvre and other museums on October 24 over possible protests

Major museums in the capital Paris will be closed to visitors on October 24 amid possible protests in France.

France’s Ministry of Culture made the decision at a time when new demonstrations were expected in many cities despite bans imposed by local authorities. The museums to be closed include the Louvre, Orsay and Picasso museums.

Security measures will be implemented at all institutions affiliated with the ministry. Museum administrations will close their doors to ensure the safety of visitors and employees and to protect the artworks.

Measures tightened after October 17 demonstrations

Yellow Vest demonstrations, also supported by students, were held across France on October 17 over the rising cost of living and high fuel prices.

Louvre Museum and glass pyramid (archive)

About 2,500 people were detained during the demonstrations, which saw violent incidents. More than 1,000 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured, while around 3,000 businesses were damaged or looted.

Business owners whose premises were damaged criticized the government for failing to manage the crisis. The government also decided to impose partial curfews in some areas, particularly Paris, Lille, Lyon, Nice and Marseille, to prevent possible protests.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that they would ban all unsanctioned demonstrations in the coming days.