Louvre Museum suffers major water damage to collection

(MENAFN) A water leak at Paris’s Louvre Museum has damaged between 300 and 400 works, mostly books, in the Egyptian department, just weeks after the theft of French crown jewels from the museum. Francis Steinbock, the museum’s deputy administrator, said the leak was discovered in late November, though the underlying problem had been known for years. Repairs are scheduled for next year.

The affected volumes consist of “Egyptology journals” and “scientific documentation” from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily used by Egyptologists. Steinbock emphasized that no precious or heritage books were impacted and that there are currently no “irreparable and definitive losses” to the collection. The damaged books will be dried, restored by bookbinders, and returned to the shelves.

This incident marks the third major issue at the Louvre in recent months. In November, structural weaknesses forced the partial closure of a gallery housing Greek vases and offices.

Earlier, on 19 October, thieves stole crown jewels valued at €88 million (£76 million; $102 million), highlighting serious security gaps. Some of the museum’s most valuable jewels have since been moved to the Bank of France.

A report by France’s public audit body, the Cour des Comptes, criticized the Louvre’s spending on artwork, arguing it came “to the detriment of the maintenance and renovation of buildings,” which may have contributed to recent incidents.

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