A few months after his appointment as director of the Louvre Museum, Christophe Leribault presented an alarming assessment to a Senate committee. He believes that the world's largest museum is now "running out of steam" and facing aging infrastructure that will require massive investments in the coming years.
During his hearing, Christophe Leribault explained that much of the equipment is reaching the end of its lifespan after several decades of operation. According to him, technical and infrastructure emergencies are piling up while the museum welcomes several million visitors each year. He specifically mentioned the need to relocate more than 10,000 Greek vases to allow for restoration work in one of the building's wings.
The burglary highlighted the museum's vulnerabilities.
The spectacular theft of the Crown Jewels last October heightened concerns about the state of the Louvre's infrastructure. This affair highlighted several security shortcomings and reignited the debate about the resources allocated to modernizing the museum.
To meet these challenges, Christophe Leribault is championing the ambitious "Louvre New Renaissance" program, a renovation project estimated at over one billion euros. This project aims to modernize technical equipment, improve visitor services, and strengthen security measures.
The president of the Louvre also announced several concrete measures, including the creation of a new security command center starting next October and the deployment of a new perimeter video surveillance system beginning in 2027. He acknowledged that the trauma caused by the burglary remains very real for the museum's staff, while affirming his commitment to accelerating the investments necessary to safeguard the institution's future.
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