Louvre director warns of closure without comprehensive renovation

Louvre director Christophe Leribault said the Paris museum could close without comprehensive renovation, days before the crown jewels theft anniversary.

• Leribault told Le Figaro on Wednesday that failure to restore and modernize the museum could lead to its closure.
• Eight French crown jewels, valued at about 88 million euros, were stolen on October 19, 2025, and remain unrecovered.
• A Senate investigation found only one of two surveillance cameras worked at the breach site, and former director Laurence des Cars resigned.
• The government estimates the "Louvre: New Renaissance" project at 700–800 million euros over ten years, partly funded by a 45% ticket price rise for non-European visitors.