Louvre Museum Could Close to the Public Without Renovation Work
Amul Info · · g2988507
The president of Paris’s Louvre Museum, Christophe Leribault, has warned in an interview with Le Figaro that the institution could eventually be forced to close to visitors without government funding for extensive repairs and modernization.
The Louvre Museum in Paris, France, could eventually be forced to close to the public unless the state provides support for extensive renovation and modernization work. The museum’s president, Christophe Leribault, made the statement in an interview with the newspaper Le Figaro .
According to him, France’s next government should pay particular attention to the museum’s condition. Without renovation, refurbishment, and modernization, the Louvre, one of the world’s most famous museums, risks falling behind modern standards and could ultimately face the prospect of closing its doors to visitors. Christophe Leribault stressed that such an outcome would be “a disaster.”
The museum’s head described the current technical condition of the world’s most visited museum as “very poor” and the number of visitors as excessively high. Last year, approximately 9 million people visited the Louvre.
Christophe Leribault is promoting the “Louvre New Renaissance” project, which envisages a comprehensive modernization of the museum and the construction of a new entrance. The project is estimated to cost around €1 billion, while construction and renovation work could take 12 to 15 years.
The museum plans to attract private investment independently. However, a decision on providing substantial state financial support will need to be approved after the national elections scheduled for next year. According to Leribault, there is no simple way to resolve all the problems at once because they are closely interconnected.
Security at the Louvre is also receiving particular attention. A year ago, on October 19, 2025, eight pieces of jewellery belonging to the royal treasures collection were stolen from the museum’s Apollo Gallery. Their total value is estimated at approximately $100 million. The incident exposed serious weaknesses in the museum’s security system.
In February 2026, the museum’s former director, Laurence des Cars, stepped down. She had proposed a modernization programme, but trade unions argued that she had placed greater emphasis on large-scale architectural projects than on smaller improvements to visitors’ everyday experience.
According to Christophe Leribault, an €83 million security enhancement plan is being implemented at an accelerated pace. A new position for head of security is being created at the museum, and the video surveillance system is being modernized. The existing system was found to contain outdated equipment and unmonitored “blind spots.” Protection of the museum’s outer perimeter, as well as its entrances and exits, is also being strengthened.