Louvre robbery: What travelers can expect this week

Published on Oct 19, 2025, 2:27 pm CDT

4 min read

Key points

Eight crown-jewel pieces stolen from the Apollon Gallery.
Louvre closed October 19, refunds promised for dated tickets.
Expect tighter screening, slower lines, and targeted room closures.
Apollon Gallery access likely suspended during forensics and repairs.
Check the Louvre's site before you go; arrive 30-45 minutes earlier.

Impact

Who Is Affected: Travelers in Paris with Louvre plans this week and dated ticket holders.
Where And When: Musée du Louvre, from October 20 through the repair and security review period.
What's Changing: Heightened screening, rerouted visitor flows, and temporary gallery closures.
What To Do: Verify status day-of, build arrival buffers, and be flexible on room priorities.

A swift, professional heist at the Musée du Louvre on October 19, 2025, targeted crown-jewel displays in the Galerie d'Apollon, prompting a same-day closure for police work and evidence collection. French officials said thieves accessed an upper window from the Seine side, smashed two cases in minutes, and fled; at least eight 19th-century pieces were stolen. One damaged crown attributed to Empress Eugénie was later found near the museum. No injuries were reported. The museum reopened plan is under review, but operations will tighten in the short term.

Musée du Louvre operations

The Louvre confirmed it was closed on October 19 for "exceptional reasons" and stated that visitors with dated tickets for the closure day would be refunded per museum policy. The heist centered on the Apollon Gallery, home to the French crown jewels; that room is the most likely to remain closed while curators, conservators, and police complete forensics and repairs.

Latest developments

Authorities described a rapid, nonviolent break-in using a lift to reach an upstairs window on the Seine façade, with the theft lasting between four and seven minutes. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and Culture Minister Rachida Dati said specialist units are leading the investigation, and that the stolen items have inestimable cultural value.

Analysis

Starting Monday, October 20, plan for more time at the Pyramid entrance. Security checks are standard at the Louvre, but after a jewel theft, screening typically tightens: more visual inspections, slower bag scans, and occasional secondary checks. Large bags and suitcases are not permitted; lockers handle only smaller items. Build a 30 to 45-minute buffer above your normal arrival time, especially for morning slots when lines surge.

Expect targeted closures and rerouting in and around the Denon wing corridors that connect to the Galerie d'Apollon. Even when the rest of the museum is open, the Apollon Gallery will likely remain off-limits until glazing and mounts are repaired, inventories are completed, and the police release the scene. Nearby rooms and passages may be cordoned intermittently, which can lengthen walking routes and concentrate crowds at pinch points.

Ticket holders for October 19 should see refunds per the museum's terms; if you booked through a third-party vendor or a guided tour, contact the seller for processing. For later-week visits, keep your existing timed entries, but check the Louvre's homepage before leaving your hotel in case additional room closures are announced day-by-day.

Group tours and school groups may be asked to stagger entry or adjust room priorities while the Apollon Gallery is closed. If your must-see list includes decorative arts and jewels, reorder your plan toward the Denon painting circuits, the Richelieu sculpture courts, and the Sully antiquities until the gallery reopens. For broader Paris crowd context and how museum pressure builds during high-alert periods, see our piece on Paris overtourism hits Montmartre, residents push back.

If you are visiting with mobility needs or strollers, allow additional time for lifts and detours. Security may temporarily close certain doors or corridors to preserve evidence or re-glaze cases, which can mean backtracking to the nearest staffed route. Follow onsite staff directions; the museum has emphasized that agents will be available to help during any operational adjustments.

What would a full reopening look like? Typically, the museum resumes standard flows once forensics end, damage is repaired, and internal security reviews conclude. The Apollon Gallery could be the last to return, reopening once exhibit cases and alarm systems are validated. Officials have not announced a timeline yet; monitor the Louvre's alerts and the Culture Ministry's updates for the go-ahead.

Final thoughts

Paris remains open and the Louvre will keep welcoming travelers, but the week ahead will favor flexible plans. Expect slower lines, tighter checks, and a closed Apollon Gallery until repairs finish. Verify status the morning of your visit, arrive earlier than usual, and be ready to pivot rooms while authorities complete their work on the aftermath of the Louvre robbery.