Louvre director warns of possible forced closure

Christophe Le Ribeau, director of the Louvre Museum in France, recently said that if the Louvre is not repaired, adjusted and transformed, its status will decline rapidly and it may eventually have to be closed to the public.

According to news from France on the 14th, nearly a year after the Louvre jewelry robbery occurred, Leribeau admitted that the Louvre is currently in a difficult situation, with problems in facilities, equipment and the building itself, and is facing increasing risks such as climate and network security. The museum has started repairing escalators, doors and windows, lighting and air-conditioning systems, etc., and continues to promote emergency security projects.

In October 2025, four masked men carried out separate thefts inside and outside the Louvre Museum, and within a few minutes took away many pieces of precious jewelry on display. Except for a crown that was found by the police, the rest of the stolen jewelry has not yet been recovered. The robbery exposed many loopholes in the Louvre's security and other aspects, and the then director Laurence Dekar resigned in February this year.

When talking about the prospects for the implementation of the "New Louvre Revitalization" plan proposed by French President Macron, Le Ribeau said that due to reasons such as still needing to raise private funds and obtain administrative permission, the renovation project cannot be started until after the next presidential election, and the start of the project still needs to be approved by the next government. He emphasized that no matter how the next government is formed, it must be recognized that if the Louvre is not repaired, adjusted and transformed, its status will decline rapidly and eventually it will have to close its doors to the public, "that will be a disaster."

Le Ribeau expressed the hope that the new entrance and exhibition hall planned in the "New Louvre Revitalization" plan will be put into use within five or six years, and the comprehensive renovation is expected to take 12 to 15 years. He said that since the museum will still be open to the public during construction, related works must be implemented in phases.