The Louvre Museum in Paris reopened its Apollo Gallery to the public on Wednesday, marking the first access to the space since a significant theft occurred several months prior. During the heist, thieves stole crown jewels valued at 88 million euros in a rapid operation that lasted less than eight minutes, exploiting security vulnerabilities by forcing entry through a window over a weekend.
The museum has chosen not to display any crown jewels or empty display cases in the reopened gallery. Instead, visitors can view the room’s architectural and decorative elements, including gilded ceilings and Greek frescoes. Officials stated that the gallery is returning to its original 17th-century ceremonial purpose, with collections and precious jewels previously housed there being relocated to other areas of the museum.
Christophe Leribault, who became director in February, emphasized the gallery’s architectural significance as an opportunity for public rediscovery. The previous director, Laurence des Cars, resigned following the October heist and other leadership failures that damaged institutional confidence at the world’s most-visited museum.
French Culture Minister Catherine Pegard acknowledged the incident as a traumatic event with global impact, describing it as a revelation of vulnerability in a place thought to be secure. The stolen jewels remain unrecovered.
The museum has implemented enhanced security measures, including new surveillance cameras and anti-intrusion systems. These improvements are part of the broader “Louvre New Renaissance” plan, a decade-long initiative with an estimated budget of up to 800 million euros aimed at modernizing infrastructure, reducing overcrowding, and providing a dedicated gallery for the Mona Lisa by 2031.
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