Louvre museum in Paris ‘running out of steam’, says new director

PARIS – The Louvre museum is struggling to find funding to upgrade its ageing facilities, its new director said on June 17, following a litany of problems that included a brazen US$100 million (S$128 million) jewellery heist.

“Despite its imposing majesty, despite the daily commitment of its staff, the Louvre is running out of steam,” Christophe Leribault told a Senate committee.

“Its equipment and infrastructure are reaching the end of their life cycle.”

Leribault, an art historian and museum director specialising in 18th-century art, took the helm in February, after his predecessor stepped down following an embarrassing daylight theft of imperial jewels in October 2025 that laid bare severe security failings.

Home to iconic pieces of art, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the Louvre is the world’s most visited museum, receiving around nine million visitors a year.

It is housed in a vast palace in central Paris on the banks of the Seine River, built over centuries by various French monarchs who at times used it as their official residence.

“Building-related emergencies are piling up, and we’re facing a wall in terms of investments,” Leribault said.

The museum had struggled with repeated strikes causing loss of revenue, a ticket fraud scheme that may have cost the museum €10 million (S$14.8 million), a water leak and other maintenance issues. AFP