Louvre Museum Temporarily Closes Campana Gallery Due to Structural Safety Concerns Amid Recent Security Challenges

The entire museum faced a three-day closure following the October 19 robbery incident.

On Monday, the Louvre Museum announced the closure of one of its galleries as a precautionary measure after an audit identified structural weaknesses in several beams within the building.

The Campana Gallery, which showcases nine rooms dedicated to ancient Greek ceramics, will remain closed during investigations into "certain beams supporting the floors of the second floor" located above it, according to an official statement.

This closure bears no connection to the recent theft at the world's most visited art institution, yet it represents additional unwelcome news for an establishment facing severe criticism throughout France regarding its security deficiencies.

Last month, a gang of four individuals raided the Louvre using an extendable ladder and power tools in broad daylight, stealing jewelry valued at approximately $102 million while visitors looked on in shock.

Prior to this break-in, the museum's top administrator had publicly expressed concerns about conditions inside the former royal palace, which welcomed 8.7 million visitors to its extensive galleries last year.

Louvre director Laurence des Cars warned in a January memo about a "proliferation of damage in museum spaces, some of which are in very poor condition."

She further noted that certain areas were "no longer watertight, while others experience significant temperature variations, endangering the preservation of artworks."

'Unpredictable'

The Campana Gallery is situated on the first floor in the Sully wing at the eastern extremity of the complex, with the second floor above it identified by museum officials as having structural issues.

The area currently serves as office space, and the security concern arose from "recent and unpredictable developments," according to the museum.

The 65 staff members who typically work in this location are being relocated while further investigations continue.

"During these investigations, the Campana Gallery... will be closed to the public as a precautionary measure," the statement indicated.

A spokeswoman informed AFP that the gallery had been closed on Monday but that its priceless collection—thousands of vases, cups and various containers—would remain in place for the time being.

The entire museum had been closed for three days following the October 19 robbery.

The window broken by the thieves, visible from both the adjacent pavement and the Seine River, has since become a tourist attraction.

Four individuals have been charged in connection with this embarrassing heist, including two men believed to have carried out the break-in, according to prosecutors.

They are thought to be small-time criminals who left substantial DNA evidence and dropped some of their loot, notably a diamond- and emerald-studded crown that formerly belonged to Empress Eugenie.

Authorities have not yet recovered the stolen jewelry.