Problem known for years: Water leak damages hundreds of works at Louvre; museum says 'no precious books' affected

A water leak at the Louvre in Paris has damaged hundreds of works, weeks after thieves made off with priceless French crown jewels in a daylight heist. The museum’s deputy administrator, Francis Steinbock, said 300–400 items, mostly books, were affected, with the final count still underway.

Steinbock told French media that the damage occurred in the museum’s Egyptian department and involved volumes “those consulted by Egyptologists,” while noting that “no precious books” were affected, as cited by BBC.


Repairs are scheduled for next year, and the affected volumes will be dried, sent to a bookbinder for restoration, and returned to the shelves once repaired.

"No heritage artefacts have been affected by this damage," Steinbock was quoted as saying by AFP.

The incident follows a recent daylight jewel heist that revealed significant security lapses at the museum.

The leak, discovered in late November, stemmed from a problem known for years, Steinbock said.

The leak, discovered in late November, stemmed from a problem that had been known for years and marks the third major issue the world’s most visited museum has faced in as many months.

In November, structural weaknesses forced the partial closure of a gallery housing Greek vases and offices, while on 19 October, four burglars stole jewels worth €88 million (£76 million; $102 million), exposing significant security gaps. The stolen jewels have yet to be recovered, and the museum has since moved some of its most valuable pieces to the Bank of France.

An October report by France’s public audit body, the Cour des Comptes, highlighted that the Louvre’s failure to modernise its infrastructure has been worsened by excessive spending on artwork, as cited by Reuters.

Meanwhile, trade unions at the Louvre Museum in Paris announced a rolling strike next week over working conditions, adding to the challenges facing the institution.