New director takes charge of the Louvre after jewelry theft and series of internal crises The Louvre's Apollo gallery reopens this Wednesday (22), nine months after the robbery that exposed serious security flaws in the most visited museum in the world. In an interview with "Le Parisien", President Christophe Leribault announces a 1 billion euro plan to correct problems that go beyond the protection of the collection, such as rooms closed due to heat. He says he remains hopeful of recovering the stolen jewels and warns that, without support from the next government, the Louvre may be "forced to close." "The Louvre revolution" is the headline of the diary that appears on its cover with a photo of the ransacked space on October 19, 2025. The Apolo gallery had been closed since the attack on October 19, 2025, when a group of thieves entered the space in broad daylight using a crane truck and broke in a window with a chainsaw. In less than eight minutes, they took eight Crown Jewels of France, still missing. The episode provoked an internal crisis and exposed surveillance failures in a museum that receives around 9 million visitors a year. Louvre Museum REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes Appointed president of the Louvre in February, Christophe Leribault announced to the newspaper a budget of 1 billion euros to undertake necessary renovations at the museum. In addition to security problems, the Louvre faces other challenges, such as poorly adapted spaces during periods of strong heat. Leribault stated that the museum is now facing this type of problem, which has become more visible in recent months, such as rooms closed due to overheating and areas without an adequate temperature for the collection. According to Le Parisien, even the president's office does not have air conditioning, a situation that has worsened during recent heat waves. For him, the renovation needs to be comprehensive and include both the protection of the collection and the adaptation of the building to current climatic conditions. Police continue to investigate the robbery When asked about the possibility of finding the stolen jewelry again, Leribault says he remains hopeful and indicates that investigations continue. According to him, the museum's security has been improved with new cameras and reinforced entrances, although he recognizes that the scheme is not enough and points to the need for a global project. The director of the Louvre faced the challenge of obtaining 360 million euros through donations in just one year to finance the renovation, but says he is aware that this is not the best time for state or private financing. Therefore, Leribault aims for international solidarity. Less than a year before the next presidential elections, he says that if the next government does not support the Louvre, the museum will be "forced to close its doors."