• The city of Strasbourg has decided to close its museums for two days, and no longer just one.

    Or Tuesday and Thursday.

  • This reduction in working days contributes to the “good management of public resources (…) in the context of a national and international crisis strongly affecting the budget of communities”, explained the municipality.

  • On Wednesday afternoon, the CGT Territorial de Strasbourg-Eurométropole called the staff to a one-day strike on Saturday September 17 to protest against the measure

The Alsatian museum, modern and contemporary art, history, fine arts... Strasbourg has many museums.

Would they be too expensive in times of crisis?

This is an argument put forward by the ecological town hall, which has decided to close its museums no longer one but two days a week and to reduce their opening hours.

"I want our museums to remain accessible", nuanced the mayor Jeanne Barseghian, who refused to increase the price of the entrance ticket for visitors.

“From a financial point of view (…), some cities do it.

We have an entry price of 7.5 euros, and in some cities it's double.

But it's not my choice, ”she added.

670,000 visitors visited its museums before Covid-19

In detail, and according to a letter from the town hall made public by the site of the UNSA union of Eurometropolis agents, the eight museums managed by the city will close from October 3 either on Monday and Wednesday, or on Tuesday and Thursday.

Hours will also be reduced, with closure between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on all opening days.

“When we see that there are few people, it may be at these times that the equipment is closed”, explained the city councilor.

However, the museums will remain open six days a week during major exhibitions, and will honor the mediation appointments, set in particular with schools.

In a press release, the city recalls that 670,000 visitors visited its museums and historical monuments before the Covid-19 crisis, but that this reduction in working days contributes to the “good management of public resources […] in the context of national and international crisis strongly affecting the budget of the communities".

Petition, strike notice, etc.

Mentioned in mid-August without being confirmed, these measures had raised questions about the cultural policy of the city in the ranks of the unions and the municipal opposition.

An online petition, deploring that Strasbourg, "7th tourist destination in France", is "the first metropolis in France to take such a decision", launched by the former mayor of the city (Agir) Fabienne Keller, and the deputy of Bas-Rhin, Bruno Studer (Renaissance), collected nearly 2,000 signatures in a few days.

On Wednesday afternoon, the CGT Territorial de Strasbourg-Eurométropole called the staff to a one-day strike on Saturday September 17 to protest against the measure.

"It's a reduction in the public service and the cultural offer of the city", denounced Karim Hadi, representative of the union, according to whom the "agents were not really consulted".

"The previous municipality (of the socialist Roland Ries) had cut 17 posts, this one is freezing retirements... This policy must be stopped," he added.

Strasbourg

Strasbourg: With a 500% increase in gas, the Eurometropolis wants to save energy all over the place

Planet

Biodiversity: The number of burrows of large hamsters in Alsace has doubled in one year

  • Strasbourg

  • Great East