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The Louvre Museum has temporarily closed one of its galleries after a structural audit raised concerns about the stability of several supporting beams.
In a statement on Monday, November 17, the museum confirmed that the Campana Gallery—a suite of nine rooms displaying ancient Greek ceramics—would remain shut while specialists examine “certain beams supporting the floors of the second floor,” which are directly above the gallery.
The closure is unrelated to last month’s high-profile robbery. Still, it adds to a run of unwelcome developments for the world’s most visited museum, which has been heavily criticised in France for lapses in security.
In October, a four-member gang brazenly entered the Louvre in daylight, using an extendable ladder and power tools to steal jewellery valued at around $102 million, all in view of shocked visitors.
The break-in came after warnings from the museum’s senior management about deteriorating conditions within the former royal palace, which welcomed 8.7 million visitors last year.
In a memo in January, museum director Laurence des Cars highlighted “a proliferation of damage in museum spaces”, noting that some areas were no longer watertight and others suffered extreme temperature swings that threatened the conservation of artworks.
The Campana Gallery sits on the first floor of the Sully wing, at the museum’s far eastern end. The structural issue lies on the level above, currently used as office space.
The museum said the alert was triggered by “recent and unpredictable developments”, prompting the relocation of 65 staff while assessments continue.
“During these investigations, the Campana Gallery … will be closed to the public as a precautionary measure,” the statement read.
A spokeswoman told AFP that although the gallery was closed on Monday, its extensive collection — thousands of ancient vases, cups and vessels — would remain in place for now.
The entire Louvre was closed for three days following the 19 October robbery. The shattered window used by the thieves, visible from outside near the Seine, has since become an unexpected tourist draw.
Four suspects have been charged over the heist, including the two alleged burglars. Prosecutors believe they were low-level criminals who left a substantial trail of DNA and even dropped some stolen items — including a diamond- and an emerald-encrusted crown once owned by Empress Eugénie.
The stolen jewels have not yet been recovered.
