The Apollo Gallery, located on the first floor of the Louvre Museum, has reopened its doors this Wednesday after being closed since October 19, 2025, following the so-called 'heist of the century', when thieves managed to steal nine pieces of the French crown jewels during visiting hours in just seven minutes.
"The collections and precious objects it housed have been removed to return the painted and sculpted wall decorations to their original place. In this way, the gallery has regained its original function, conceived as a work of art in itself in the 17th century," the institution indicated in a statement.
The French Minister of Culture, Catherine Pégard, emphasized during the reopening event before the media that this "is an opportunity to rediscover the splendid architecture and decoration of this gallery." "Visitors will be able to move freely," she said.
The crown jewels and gems that were not stolen will be displayed in "secure spaces" in other areas of the museum. "It was a trauma for the entire world, which expressed its astonishment and sorrow for days. It was also a trauma for us, upon discovering the fragility of a place we believed to be unbreakable," she recalled.
Of the loot, valued at 88 million euros, only the crown of Empress Eugenie has been recovered, which presented "crushing damage and considerable deformation." The museum communicated last February that its restoration will be possible without the need for reconstruction or recreation, as only one of the ornamental eagles of the piece is missing.
A group of four men carried out the so-called 'heist of the century' as reported by the French press using a lift platform installed on a truck, with which they accessed the Apollo Gallery and forced two display cases where the nine pieces of the French crown jewels were exhibited.
The museum staff, one of the great cultural and tourist symbols of France, has staged several strikes since October 2024 to denounce the "deterioration of working conditions" and "the insufficiency of resources."