Could it happen anywhere other than France? Two weeks ago, the staff of the National Archives staged a two-day strike to protest the announced construction of a “Maison de l’Histoire”–in effect, a national history museum–on the site currently(and historically) occupied by the Archives. While the AN reading rooms are now open again, various series have been “exceptionally closed” due to personnel shortages and it seems likely this may go on for some months, if not years, to come.