Louvre to Reopen Apollo Gallery After Crown Jewels Theft

Starting Wednesday, the Louvre in Paris will reopen the Apollo Gallery, which had been closed following the theft of the French Crown Jewels, valued at approximately €88m ($100m). The heist, which took place in October 2025, ranks among the largest in the museum's history, according to France24.

The perpetrators, disguised as construction workers, used a scaffolding platform to gain access to the gallery and made off with eight precious jewels, which have not yet been recovered.

Louvre director Christophe Leribault stated that, following the reopening, no crown jewels will be on display in the gallery.

The remaining valuables are to be moved in the future to a new, highly secure, windowless vault, which the museum is still in the process of constructing.

The theft exposed serious security flaws at the world's most visited museum and sparked a widespread debate on the protection of cultural heritage. Following the incident, the Louvre's leadership was also replaced.

(mja)