Standfirst: Louvre director Christophe Leribault has warned that the Paris museum could eventually close to the public unless France funds a major programme of repairs, security upgrades and modernisation. The warning comes one year after the theft of French Crown Jewels valued at an estimated €88 million.
The Louvre faces a difficult choice: repair ageing infrastructure while improving security, or risk allowing problems at the world’s most-visited museum to worsen. Its director says isolated fixes will not be enough to protect the building or maintain a safe experience for millions of visitors.
The Louvre’s future depends on a wider transformation
Speaking to Le Figaro, Leribault said the museum would seek private funding, but that substantial public investment would also be required. He said France’s next government would need to support the work after next year’s national elections.
The warning comes as successive minority governments have faced difficulties passing annual budgets. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is also attempting to reduce public spending as France tackles a large budget deficit.
Leribault said failure to repair and modernise the museum could leave it unable to continue operating. He described such an outcome as a disaster for France and the international cultural sector.
Security upgrades follow €88 million crown-jewel theft
The Louvre’s immediate security concerns intensified after the theft of eight French Crown Jewels on 19 October 2025. A four-person gang reportedly used a lorry-mounted lifting platform to enter the Apollo Gallery during daylight hours.
The stolen pieces were estimated to be worth €88 million and have not been recovered. A later Senate inquiry found that only one of the two cameras covering the break-in point was operating at the time.
The museum is now advancing an €83 million security masterplan. The programme includes:
- Creating a new senior security position;
- Replacing or upgrading parts of the camera network;
- Addressing gaps in surveillance around the museum;
- Strengthening monitoring at entrances and access points; and
- Improving perimeter protection.
However, the director argues that security cannot be separated from the condition of the historic building. Cameras, access controls and monitoring systems will be less effective if the surrounding infrastructure remains outdated or difficult to maintain.
Ageing infrastructure is affecting visitors and collections
The Louvre’s challenges extend beyond security. The museum has reported problems involving old plumbing, poor insulation and congested public areas. Some galleries and sections of the building also require significant maintenance.
A memo written by former director Laurence des Cars in January 2025 warned that certain areas were no longer watertight and that visiting the museum had become physically difficult. In February, a burst heating pipe damaged a ceiling painted by Charles Meynier in 1819.
These incidents illustrate why the museum is seeking a comprehensive programme rather than a series of disconnected repairs. Work on electrical systems, heating, water, galleries, visitor routes and security may need to be coordinated across a complex historic site.
What is the Louvre ‘New Renaissance’ project?
President Emmanuel Macron has promoted a broader plan known as “Louvre – New Renaissance”. The project includes a new entrance and a large architectural and operational overhaul.
The French government has estimated the cost at between €700 million and €800 million over ten years. One proposed source of funding is a 45% increase in ticket prices for most visitors from outside Europe.
The scale of the proposal has prompted political and trade-union criticism. Unions have argued that large architectural ambitions should not take priority over practical measures that could improve the visitor experience more quickly.
The debate therefore concerns more than the Louvre’s appearance. It involves public funding, cultural access, heritage protection, tourism, museum security and the long-term management of one of France’s most important institutions.
Why the dispute matters beyond Paris
The Louvre welcomed approximately nine million visitors last year, giving it a major role in France’s tourism economy and international cultural profile. Any prolonged closure or serious reduction in access would affect visitors, staff, businesses and the wider Paris economy.
The museum’s difficulties also reflect a broader challenge facing historic cultural institutions: how to modernise buildings designed centuries ago while preserving their architectural and artistic character. Security expectations, visitor numbers and climate-control requirements have changed significantly since the Louvre opened to the public in 1793.
For international visitors, higher ticket prices could make a future visit more expensive, although the proposal described in the source material concerns most non-European visitors rather than all visitors. The final funding model and any ticket changes would depend on government decisions and the development of the wider project.
What happens next?
The €83 million security programme is moving forward, but the larger transformation requires political and financial decisions. The next French government will face pressure to determine how much public money can be committed and how the work should be phased.
The central question is whether security repairs, building maintenance and visitor improvements will be treated as separate projects or brought together under a single long-term plan. Leribault’s warning is that the Louvre cannot rely on a narrow security response while its wider infrastructure continues to deteriorate.
Conclusion
The Louvre’s future now depends on whether France can secure the funding and political support needed for a coordinated overhaul. The museum’s security plan addresses urgent weaknesses exposed by the crown-jewel theft, but the director says only broader investment in the building and visitor facilities can prevent a possible closure. The next government will have a decisive role in determining whether the Louvre can remain open and sustainable for future generations.
