Louvre reopens gallery as 800m euro renovation tackles security
The Louvre has reopened its Apollo Gallery nine months after an €88m jewel heist, kicking off a major €800m overhaul aimed at restoring security and modernising the world's most-visited museum.
The Louvre’s Apollo Gallery has reopened to the public nine months after a brazen daylight robbery saw thieves steal €88 million in French crown jewels. The gallery is now returning to its 17th-century ceremonial purpose, with the precious collections that once filled it removed in the wake of the October heist. Created under a young King Louis XIV, the space was designed by architect Louis Le Vau and decorated by Charles Le Brun.
The reopening marks the first visible step in a sweeping infrastructure transformation for the Paris landmark. The theft, in which four suspects now in custody forced their way through a window in under eight minutes, exposed alarming security flaws at a site central to France's tourism economy. Culture Minister Catherine Pegard called the heist a "trauma for the whole world" and pledged to beef up security at museums across the country.
In response, the museum has already installed new surveillance cameras and anti-intrusion systems. These immediate fixes feed into the “Louvre New Renaissance” plan, a decade-long modernisation programme unveiled by Emmanuel Macron in January 2025. The initiative carries an estimated price tag of up to €800 million.
The massive public investment is designed to do more than just plug security holes. It aims to ease chronic overcrowding by building a new entrance near the Seine River to relieve pressure on I.M. Pei’s famous glass pyramid. The project also promises a dedicated gallery for the Mona Lisa by 2031.
New leadership to restore trust
Overseeing this transition will be Christophe Leribault, the veteran art historian appointed earlier this year to replace outgoing director Laurence des Cars. Leribault previously managed the Versailles Palace, steering an annual budget of roughly €170 million through the 2024 Olympic equestrian events, and previously led Paris’ Orsay Museum.
The Culture Ministry stressed that Leribault’s mandate will focus heavily on safeguarding the institution. It highlighted his "extensive experience at the helm of major institutions" and stated he will prioritise strengthening security for the Louvre’s buildings, collections, and visitors while "restoring a climate of trust."
