The Louvre Museum in Paris has reopened its historic Gallery of Apollo – the space once devoted to France’s crown jewels – to visitors this Wednesday. The move comes nine months after a high‑profile jewelry theft that left several priceless gems missing.
“This is an iconic space within the Louvre, but it will no longer house the Crown Jewels and gemstones, which are to be displayed in secure areas elsewhere in the museum,” museum director Christophe Leribault told visitors. The gallery currently opens empty, as the recovered jewels are still in police custody and have not been returned.
The theft occurred on 19 October, when masked thieves used a service truck equipped with mechanical ladders to climb a balcony and gain access to the gallery. Police arrested four individuals, who prosecutors allege are the culprits, but the stolen items have not yet been located.
The incident has prompted security reviews across other museums and raised questions about how valuable artifacts are protected in older buildings. The Louvre remains a major cultural destination, but its staff and visitors are urged to be vigilant until the jewels are safely returned.
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