The Louvre Museum in Paris reopened its Apollo Gallery to the public on Wednesday for the first time since October 2025, when thieves stole €88 million ($102 million) worth of crown jewels in a dramatic daytime robbery.
The Louvre is the world's most visited museum, with up to 9 million guests annually. Originally a royal palace, it opened to the public during the French Revolution. The museum houses the Mona Lisa, one of the world's most famous artworks.
The October 2025 heist shocked the world as thieves used a crane mounted on a truck to enter the museum through a window at 9:30 a.m., while the museum was still opening. The group broke in equipped with power tools like a disc cutter and stole French crown jewels.
On their way out, the thieves dropped a 170-year-old crown commissioned by Napoleon III. The crown was left "badly deformed," the Louvre said, but was "nearly intact" and could be restored. It was among objects not taken from the gallery.
Museum operators said the Apollo Gallery will return to its 17th-century original ceremonial purpose, without any precious jewels or other objects on display. The public can tour the majestic room and view its gilded ceilings and Greek frescoes.
Louvre director Christophe Leribault said former exhibits have been relocated elsewhere in the museum. "It's also an opportunity to rediscover the splendid architecture and decor of this gallery," he said. The Apollo Gallery is considered one of the most marvelous areas of the Louvre, with ceilings designed by Charles Le Brun and later added to by, among others, French painter Eugene Delacroix.
Leribault took over from former director Laurence des Cars, who resigned after the heist highlighted security failures. French Culture Minister Catherine Pegard called the heist a "sinister day," adding it cannot be forgotten. "It was a trauma for the entire world, which expressed its shock and sadness in every language. It was a trauma for us, discovering the fragility of a place we thought unshakeable," she said.
Authorities have boosted security with new surveillance cameras and anti-intrusion systems. Security improvements are part of the museum's decade-long modernization plan, estimated to cost up to €800 million.
Source: www.dw.com