The Louvre’s Apollo gallery reopened to the public on Wednesday for the first time since a crown jewels heist occurred last year. The museum announced that the collections and precious jewels previously on display have been removed, as the gallery returns to its original 17th-century ceremonial purpose as a state gallery.
The heist took place in October 2025, when thieves disguised as construction workers used a truck-mounted lift to break into the gallery. In a weekend operation that exposed glaring security vulnerabilities, the thieves forced their way through a window in less than eight minutes. While Empress Eugenie’s crown has been recovered, other stolen items valued at 88 million euros, or $132 million, remain missing.
Security at the Paris museum has been boosted with the addition of new surveillance cameras and anti-intrusion systems. These upgrades are part of the decade-long Louvre New Renaissance plan launched last year, which has an estimated cost of up to 800 million euros. The plan seeks to modernize infrastructure and ease crowding, with the goal of providing the Mona Lisa with a dedicated gallery by 2031.