Staff at the Louvre forced the museum to close on Sunday due to growing fears over the spread of the coronavirus. The move comes after the French government became the latest to ban large gatherings. Museums and historic sites around Europe face a sharp fall in attendance because of the disruption caused by the fast-spreading virus.
Swathes of visitors were left standing in line in the rain outside the Louvre yesterday, March 1, as staff voted to close the Paris museum during an emergency meeting. A union representative tells AFP that staff voted “almost unanimously” not to open the museum. The museum remains closed today and it is unclear when it plans to reopen. Artnet News contacted the Louvre for comment, but did not hear back by press time.
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/coronavirus-louvre-europe-economy-1790850