Louvre leaky, damaged and overcrowded, warns Paris museum’s director
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In leaked memo to culture minister, Laurence des Cars warns some areas not watertight, threatening artworks. The director of the Louvre has warned the French government about leaks, overcrowding and sub-standard catering in a leaked memo that has raised alarm about the state of the world’s most-visited museum.
Laurence des Cars, the first woman to head the gallery, wrote a confidential note about her concerns to the culture minister, Rachida Dati, earlier this month which was published on Thursday in Le Parisien newspaper. In it, Des Cars warned about the “proliferation of damage in museum spaces, some of which are in very poor condition”.
Furthermore, some areas “are no longer watertight, while others experience significant temperature variations, endangering the preservation of artworks”, she added. Noting the French government’s budget problems and the imminent closure of the Pompidou museum for renovations, Des Cars said the Louvre nonetheless required an overhaul that would likely be costly and technically complicated.
A total of 8.7 million people visited its famed galleries last year – about twice the number it was designed for – and Des Cars expressed concern about the quality of the user experience. The Louvre’s popularity was causing a “physical strain” on the historic building, while visitors lack spaces “to take a break”, she wrote.
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