A significant water leak at the Louvre Museum in Paris has damaged hundreds of books, casting a harsh new light on the institution's ageing infrastructure. This incident comes just weeks after thieves made off with jewels valued at a staggering £76 million from the same world-famous museum.
Details of the Library Damage
Francis Steinbock, the Louvre's deputy administrator, confirmed the leak to French broadcaster BFM TV. He stated that the water affected one of the three rooms within the library of the Egyptian antiquities department. Staff have so far identified between 300 and 400 damaged works, with the assessment still ongoing.
Mr Steinbock sought to clarify the nature of the lost volumes, noting they were "those consulted by Egyptologists but no precious books". However, he acknowledged a more systemic issue, revealing that the leak problem had been known for years. Repairs are tentatively scheduled for September next year, despite the incident occurring last month and only being made public recently.
A Museum Under Strain
This leak is the latest in a series of problems highlighting the deteriorating state of the world's most-visited museum, which welcomed 8.7 million visitors last year. In November, the Campana gallery, home to ancient Greek ceramics, was temporarily closed due to structural weaknesses.
This gallery sits adjacent to the Apollo gallery, which was the target of the audacious October heist. In that brazen theft, two men used a furniture lift to access the first floor, then cracked open display cases with angle grinders while the museum was open, escaping with the priceless jewels. French police have made arrests, but the artefacts remain missing.
Long-Standing Warnings Ignored
Before the high-profile theft, the Louvre's top administrator had already voiced concerns about conditions inside the historic building. Trade union representatives have echoed these warnings for years.
Valerie Baud from the CFDT union federation said staff had consistently raised alarms because deteriorating conditions "affect working conditions and visitors." She expressed shock at the latest development, stating, "But we didn't realise it was this bad. It is a major deterioration in the situation."
The consecutive crises of the multi-million pound heist and the damaging water leak have created a perfect storm, forcing a urgent re-evaluation of the Louvre's ability to protect both its priceless collections and its essential working infrastructure.
