July 21, 2026, 1:35 p.mJuly 21, 2026, 1:35 p.m
Nine months after the theft, the Louvre reopens.Image: keystone
New beginning after the jewel theft: Nine months after the spectacular burglary, the Louvre is reopening its Galerie d’Apollon on Wednesday – but completely empty.
The collections and valuable objects previously shown there are to be moved to a windowless vault, as Louvre director Christophe Leribault told the newspaper “Le Parisien”.
“We want a fresh start,” he said. Instead of having the gallery with empty display cases reminiscent of the previous exhibition location, the room will once again be experienced as a magnificent gallery.
The valuable objects would be removed so that the artistic wall and ceiling decorations could be shown to greater advantage again. First, however, a suitable location would have to be found and the financing of the extensive construction work would have to be clarified.
Like the Mirror Gallery at Versailles
The Galerie d’Apollon is considered one of the most magnificent rooms in the Louvre. Their ceilings were designed by Charles Le Brun and later added to by, among others, Eugène Delacroix. Leribault compared the hall to the Gallery of Mirrors at Versailles and spoke of a piece of the original royal palace that visitors could rediscover in today’s museum.
During the break-in in mid-October 2025, eight valuable pieces of jewelry with an estimated value of around 88 million euros (around 81 million francs today) were stolen. There is still no trace of them.
Empress Eugénie’s crown, which was damaged in the break-in, is currently being restored. Almost all elements have been preserved, explained Leribault. After her return to the Louvre, she should be given more space to ensure her safety and improve the flow of visitors.
The museum director says he is convinced that the history of the crown will even enhance its appeal. “This crown will be more famous than before – like the Mona Lisa after it was stolen in 1911,” he said. (sda/dpa)