The Louvre Museum in Paris announced Monday that it has temporarily closed a public gallery and some employee offices because of “particular fragility of certain beams holding up floors,” according to a statement obtained by The Associated Press. The closure came as the museum is preparing for major renovations and amid scrutiny over its reported lack of security measures in the wake of a heist that saw more than $100 million worth of jewels stolen.
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The world’s most-visited museum said in a statement that the impacted area on the second level of the southern wing is closed because of “recent and unforeseen developments,” but offered no further explanation. Officials cited a building assessment report submitted on Nov. 14 and said the museum will carry out the repairs as soon as possible, per Artnet.com.
The timeline for those repairs has not been disclosed.
Impacted exhibit and offices
Museum officials have reportedly blocked access to the second-level offices and moved 65 impacted employees while the damage is investigated. Additionally, the museum closed the Campana Gallery, located below the offices and featuring displays of Greek artifacts, out of an abundance of caution.
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The Louvre was once a 12th-century fortress and royal palace before it became a museum in 1793.
Renovating the Sully wing is part of a decade-long project that will cost hundreds of millions of dollars, which was announced in January. As part of that effort, the “Mona Lisa” will get its own room inside the museum as part of the renovation effort.
Overtourism concerns
The announcement of the revitalization effort followed a leaked letter sent to France’s minister of culture, Rachida Dati, by the Louvre’s director, Laurence des Cars, in which the museum’s disrepair and issues of overcrowding harming visitors’ experience are described.
In June, employees at the museum staged a walkout in protest over damage to the museum, which they say is being caused by wear and tear from overtourism, and a timeline for repairs that they said takes too long to address issues in need of urgent attention, along with a lack of staff. The walkout prompted the temporary closure of the museum as crowds of people outside waited to get in.
Still reeling from the heist
Meanwhile, the museum is still trying to recover the $102 million worth of jewels stolen last month following the arrest of multiple suspects. Officials also announced that the museum is upgrading its security system, plans to hire a security coordinator and increase its staff budget.
