Louvre Museum closed after jewellery theft

The Louvre Museum in Paris was closed on Sunday after a theft occurred inside the world-renowned institution, France’s culture minister confirmed.

“A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum,” Culture Minister Rachida Dati wrote on X, adding that she had visited the site and that an investigation was underway.

The museum announced it would close “for exceptional reasons,” without giving further details. No injuries were reported.

According to French daily Le Parisien, the thieves entered the museum through its Seine-facing facade, where construction work is ongoing, and used a freight elevator to reach the Apollo Gallery. After breaking windows, they reportedly made off with “nine pieces from the jewellery collection of Napoleon and the Empress.”

The Louvre — the world’s most visited museum — has faced several thefts throughout its history. Its most infamous was in 1911, when the Mona Lisa was stolen by a former employee, Vincenzo Peruggia, who hid in the museum overnight and walked out with the painting under his coat. The masterpiece was recovered two years later in Florence.

In 1983, two Renaissance-era armor pieces were stolen and recovered nearly four decades later. The museum’s vast collection also includes artifacts linked to Napoleonic-era looting, a subject that continues to stir restitution debates.

Home to more than 33,000 works spanning antiquities, sculptures, and paintings, the Louvre’s iconic exhibits include Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.

The theft reportedly occurred in the Galerie d’Apollon, where part of France’s Crown Jewels is displayed. The museum typically attracts up to 30,000 visitors daily.