The crisis-hit Louvre museum in Paris was closed on Monday as workers began a strike to demand urgent renovations and staffing increases, and protested against a rise in ticket prices for most non-EU visitors, including British and American tourists.

The world’s most-visited museum – which has had a difficult few months after a jewel heist, a damaging water leak and safety fears over a gallery ceiling – could face days of partial or total closure at one of its busiest times of the year if many of its 2,100-strong workforce vote to continue striking this week.

The Louvre is still reeling from the theft on 19 October, when a four-person gang raided the museum during daylight hours, stealing an estimated €88m (£77m) of French crown jewels in seven minutes before fleeing on scooters. Four men have been arrested and placed under formal investigation, but the jewels have not been found.