The ongoing strike at the Louvre is no longer just a labor dispute. It has become a test of how securely, credibly and competently the world’s most visited museum is being run. Behind the walkout are not only frayed labor relations, but a building itself under strain, with crumbling parts of the aging former palace now deemed unsafe.

The Musée du Louvre in Paris was forced to close today as workers went on strike, protesting deteriorating facilities and working conditions.