• After a three-day closure, the Louvre resumed receiving visitors on Wednesday
• The Apollo Gallery, where the theft occurred on Sunday, remains closed to the public

The Louvre Museum reopened its doors to visitors on Wednesday, three days after it was closed due to the theft of valuable royal jewels

The first groups of visitors began entering the museum at 9:00 a.m., its usual opening time, while the Apollo Gallery, where the theft took place on Sunday, remained closed to the public

Dozens of investigators continue to pursue the suspects, working on the theory that an organized criminal group climbed a ladder placed on a truck to break into the museum, dropping a diamond-studded crown as they fled

Eight priceless items were stolen, including an emerald-and-diamond necklace that Napoleon I gave to his wife, Marie-Louise, and a diadem that once belonged to Empress Eugénie, containing nearly 2,000 diamonds

Visitors were disappointed, having been turned away on Monday following the theft, and the museum remained closed on Tuesday according to its regular schedule

The Louvre is the world’s most visited museum, having welcomed around nine million people last year across its extensive halls and galleries

The theft has reignited debate over the lack of security in French museums, following similar incidents at two other institutions last month, raising concerns over the protection of priceless artworks and jewelry