Christophe Leribault, the new director of the Louvre, has outlined his vision for the museum following a $100 million heist in October 2025. The Apollo Gallery, where the theft occurred, will reopen in July with a redesigned display that removes mineral cases to highlight its Romantic wall paintings, inspired by Versailles’s Hall of Mirrors. Empress Eugénie’s diamond-and-emerald crown, crushed by the thieves, is being restored and will become a new highlight. Security upgrades include window bars, 100 new cameras by 2026, a mobile police station, and a new security coordinator. The heist led to the resignation of former director Laurence des Cars in February.
The theft exposed deeper infrastructure issues at the world’s most-visited museum, accelerating the Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance plan—a €1-billion ($1.2-billion) renovation announced by President Emmanuel Macron in January 2025. The project includes fixing roofing and heating, creating a dedicated Mona Lisa room, and building a new Seine-side entrance, with construction not expected to start before 2028. Leribault faces pressure to balance security, preservation, and public access while managing costs, as some French politicians question the price tag. The heist and subsequent reforms highlight the challenges of securing a historic monument that functions like a small city.