The troubled Louvre turns to tourists

The Louvre Museum faces simultaneous security, structural and financial pressures after last month’s €95 million jewel heist exposed vulnerabilities that have since deepened into a wider institutional crisis.

The museum, already struggling with aging infrastructure and increasing operational demands, is now implementing sweeping measures ranging from ticket price hikes to major surveillance upgrades.

The museum has confirmed that visitors from outside the EU or the European Economic Area will face a 45% ticket increase from January 14, with the price rising to €32. Officials said the change is expected to bring in an additional 15-20 million euros a year.

The walk will help fund an extensive refurbishment program and strengthen security systems following the daring robbery on October 19. Almost 9 million people visited the Louvre last year – almost three-quarters of them were foreigners.

Concerns about the museum’s preparedness were heightened when four burglars used an elevator to reach a second-floor balcony, smashed a window, opened display cases with corner wheels and made off with French crown jewels in less than seven minutes.

The gems, worth $102 million, have not been recovered despite multiple arrests. Police initially arrested four suspects in late October and early November, before four more were arrested last week.

The heist also exposed gaps in external surveillance. Museum director Laurence des Cars told lawmakers the Louvre will install 100 new exterior cameras by the end of 2026 and create an “advanced police station” on its premises to strengthen coordination with Paris authorities.

French officials earlier promised additional anti-intrusion devices and anti-entanglement barriers around the site by the end of the year after admitting there are blind spots in camera coverage of the stricken facade.

Structural problems meanwhile added to the pressure on management. A technical report this month found serious weaknesses in the beams supporting the Sully Wing, forcing the closure of the Campana Gallery and the relocation of 65 staff whose offices were deemed unsafe.

The gallery is adjacent to the Apollo Room, which houses the crown jewels targeted in the heist. Union spokeswoman Valerie Baud said staff had long warned of worsening conditions but had not anticipated the severity of the danger.

A recent audit by France’s Cour des Comptes criticized the museum for prioritizing art acquisitions and public programs after the pandemic over basic security and infrastructure needs.

Other major French cultural venues, including the Palace of Versailles, Sainte-Chapelle, Paris Opera and Chambord Chateau, are expected to raise their own ticket prices next year as institutions face similar financial pressures.