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Louvre reopens Apollo Gallery without jewels after $100 million heist
🇨🇦 Canada /Culture & Society

Louvre reopens Apollo Gallery without jewels after $100 million heist

From Global News · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Outcome reported
  • The Louvre's Apollo Gallery reopened Wednesday, over a year after a heist where jewels valued at over $100 million were stolen.
  • The stolen jewels will be displayed elsewhere in the museum in more secure locations, while the gallery's architecture and decor are now the focus.
  • France's Culture Minister pledged to increase museum security nationwide following the

The Louvre's famed Apollo Gallery welcomed visitors again on Wednesday, more than a year after thieves stole jewels worth over $100 million in a brazen daytime robbery. The gallery, a celebrated historic space with 17th-century interiors decorated by Charles Le Brun, is now on display without its jewelry.

also an opportunity to rediscover the splendid architecture and decor of this gallery

— Christophe LeribaultThe director of the Louvre explained the focus of the reopened gallery.

Director Christophe Leribault, appointed after the robbery, stated that the reopening offers an "opportunity to rediscover the splendid architecture and decor of this gallery." The stolen jewels will be housed in more secure locations within the Paris museum. France's Culture Minister Catherine Pégard described the heist as a "trauma for the whole world," emphasizing the need to increase security at museums across the country.

"That sinister day, when iconic pieces were taken, cannot be forgotten, and indeed, I believe, should not be," Pégard said. "It was a trauma for us, discovering the fragility of a place we thought unshakeable, and which, like so many others, proved vulnerable."

trauma for the whole ​world

— Catherine PégardFrance's Culture Minister described the impact of the jewel heist.

The robbery occurred on Oct. 19, 2025, when masked thieves used specialized equipment to break into the gallery, smash display cases, and steal artifacts valued at 88 million euros ($102 million). The heist lasted less than seven minutes, with the intruders escaping on scooters. Although four suspects have been charged, the jewels remain largely unrecovered, with the exception of Empress Eugénie's emerald-set imperial crown, found broken shortly after the theft.

That sinister day, when iconic pieces were taken, cannot be forgotten, and indeed, I believe, should not be.

— Catherine PégardFrance's Culture Minister reflected on the memory of the heist.

Security at the Louvre has been enhanced with new surveillance cameras and anti-intrusion systems. This is part of an ongoing decade-long, 800 million euro ($933 million) plan to modernize security, manage crowds, and potentially give the Mona Lisa its own dedicated gallery.

It was a trauma for us, discovering the fragility of a place we thought unshakeable, and which, like so many others, proved vulnerable

— Catherine PégardFrance's Culture Minister spoke about the museum's vulnerability after the theft.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Global News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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