• Around 300–400 archival items damaged in Louvre’s Egyptian department
• Damage caused by a water leak in the heating and ventilation system

The Louvre Museum in Paris announced that a water leak in late November damaged several hundred works in the Egyptian antiquities department, just weeks after a brazen jewelry theft raised concerns about the museum’s infrastructure.

Francis Steinbock, the museum’s deputy director, said that “between 300 and 400 items” were affected by the leak discovered on November 26, describing them as “Egyptology journals” and “scientific documents” used by researchers.

Steinbock added that the damaged pieces dated from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, were “highly useful” but “not unique.”

He confirmed that “no heritage artifacts were affected” and that “so far, there have been no irreparable losses in these collections.”

The incident follows an October theft in which a four-person gang raided the museum in broad daylight, stealing jewelry worth an estimated $102 million in just seven minutes, sparking debate about the Louvre’s aging infrastructure.

The museum said it will conduct an internal investigation into the November leak, caused by the accidental opening of a valve in the heating and ventilation system, which led to water seeping through the ceiling of the Mollien wing, where books were stored.

Steinbock noted that the system was “completely old,” had been shut down for months, and was scheduled to be replaced starting September 2026.

He added that the damaged works “will be dried, sent to a bookbinder for restoration, and then returned to the shelves.”

The Louvre also announced a ticket price increase for most non-EU visitors.

The museum explained that the 45% hike aims to boost annual revenue by up to $23 million to fund structural improvements.

The Louvre welcomed 8.7 million visitors in 2024, 69% of whom were from abroad.