The mess left by the jewel thief is still not cleaned up, and the Louvre in France is facing an even more tricky problem: this world-famous museum may even have to close its doors.
According to a report by the French newspaper Le Figaro on October 14th, Christophe Leribault, director of the Louvre Museum, warned in an interview that if the museum does not receive comprehensive repairs, adjustments, and renovations, its status will decline rapidly, and it may eventually have to close to the public.
Leriboe said bluntly that the Louvre not only has severely aging architectural facilities, but also faces the problem of overcrowding with tourists. No matter who will be in power after next year's French presidential elections, this dilemma must be addressed.
This warning comes nearly a year after a major jewelry theft occurred at the Louvre.
On October 19, 2025, four thieves used a vehicle-mounted lifting platform to enter the Apollo Gallery of the Louvre Museum. Under the bright sunlight, they stole eight pieces of French royal jewelry, valued at approximately 88 million euros. Although the suspects were eventually caught, the stolen jewelry remains untraceable to this day.
This case exposed serious security vulnerabilities at the Louvre. Investigations revealed that some surveillance equipment was not functioning properly at the time of the incident, and the originally planned security upgrade, worth 83 million euros, had only been funded with about 3 million euros to date. The public pressure caused by this incident ultimately led to the resignation of former director Jean-Claude Delord in February this year.
There's more to this trouble. Over the past year, the Louvre has also faced issues such as water leaks, staff strikes, and allegations of long-term ticket fraud.
According to AFP, Leribo said that the museum is advancing emergency security projects such as the installation of surveillance equipment and the reinforcement of entrances and exits. However, work related to the renovation of historical buildings, addressing climate changes, and managing tourist flow are intertwined, and simply installing a few cameras will not solve the problem.
Currently, the Louvre is advancing a modernization project with a total investment of approximately 1 billion euros, and they need to secure another 360 million euros in private donations. Leribot previously admitted that this is a significant challenge, and he himself is not sure if he will be able to raise the necessary funds.
