The Louvre, often cited as the world's most popular museum, is closing its doors in Paris indefinitely due to the coronavirus outbreak. In a brief statement, officials announced the Parisian institution would shutter as of 6 p.m. local time on Friday in accordance with government orders. The temporary shut down comes less than two weeks after the museum was forced to close for two days, over staff concerns about the growing spread of COVID-19. The Louvre attracts tens of thousands of visitors daily and, in 2019, saw more than 9.5 million visitors, almost three-quarters of whom came from abroad. The museum is offering refunds to those who bought advance tickets to the famed art museum.

Source: CBC News March 13, 2020 15:45 UTC