France’s Culture Ministry has announced it is planning to give museums in the country the “necessary means” to be open on a daily basis – as long as conservation regulations are met and respected.
The decision, unveiled as part of the country’s 2015 budget, represents a response to overcrowding in France’s top cultural sites. At present, top institutions such as the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay and Versailles Palace, are closed on various days of the week – something the socialist government wants to change.
As inbound tourism numbers continue to rise, France’s cultural institutions struggle with the sheer number of visitors, with the Louvre –
the world’s most visited museum – for example having wait times of several hours just to get in during peak season.
The plans have met some opposition however, as Christian Galani of the GCT labour union, which represents the majority of museum workers in France, has said the body opposes the idea. Galani commented that the plans would ultimately hurt maintenance, raise overtime work costs and force room closings.
