Paris: A water leak at the Louvre Museum in Paris has damaged hundreds of works, adding to a string of recent troubles at the world-famous institution.
The museum’s deputy administrator, Francis Steinbock, confirmed that between 300 and 400 works, mostly books, were affected in the Egyptian department. The damaged volumes are described as Egyptology journals and scientific documents from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, all regularly consulted by scholars.
Steinbock said the leak, discovered in late November, stemmed from a long-known issue. Repairs were already scheduled for next year. The books will be dried, rebound, and restored before returning to the shelves. Steinbock stressed that no precious books or heritage artefacts were impacted and that no irreversible losses have been identified.
The incident is the museum’s third major setback in recent months. In November, structural weaknesses forced a partial closure of a gallery housing Greek vases and administrative offices. And on October 19, thieves executed a bold daylight heist, stealing $102.6 million (€88 million) worth of French crown jewels, which remain unrecovered.
Following the theft, the museum transferred several high-value jewels to the Bank of France for safekeeping. A recent report by France’s public audit body, the Cour des Comptes, criticised the Louvre for prioritising artwork acquisitions over crucial building maintenance, a concern now underscored by the latest incident.
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