Paris Museums Close Ahead of Protests

Several major museums in Paris, including the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Musée de l'Orangerie, and Musée National Picasso, will close on Saturday, October 24, ahead of planned protests. The closures follow the early end of the Art Basel Paris fair on Friday night, with private foundations and commercial galleries also announcing closures. French authorities have banned 'illegitimate' protests nationwide and will deploy military troops and increased police presence in Paris and other major cities on Saturday.

Demonstration requests filed by registered labor unions will be examined in accordance with the law and potentially required to utilize alternative routes. A large-scale union-led rally, originally scheduled for this Saturday outside the Grand Palais in protest of Art Basel Paris, has updated its location to Place de la Bastille after the fair's premature closure and an order to refrain from entering the city center.

The National Union of Visual Artists (SNAP-CGT), which called for the rally outside Art Basel Paris, stated that the protest's aim is 'to defend culture for everyone and decent conditions for art workers.' The group also noted that the fair's cancellation of its weekend events under pressure from the social movement is a victory.

Some commercial galleries in Paris, many of which are also Art Basel Paris exhibitors, have announced their Saturday closures. These include Gagosian, Esther Schipper, and Perrotin. Galerie Lelong's Paris location, however, confirmed that it will remain open this weekend.

Fondation Cartier and Fondation Louis Vuitton have also announced closures, with the former shutting down on Saturday and Sunday, and the latter closing on Saturday.

CONTEXT: The protests are part of a broader movement calling for educational reform, lower cost of living, and an end to police violence. The closures of major museums and art fairs reflect the significant impact of these protests on cultural institutions and events in Paris.