Some of the Louvre’s beams are “particularly fragile,” forcing the closure of one exhibition hall.

The exhibition hall, the Campana Gallery, contains nine rooms dedicated to ancient Greek ceramics. In a statement, the Louvre said that during the gallery’s closure, an “investigation” will be conducted into the “particularly fragile load-bearing beams of the second-floor floor of the south wing of the Sully Quartet.”

The museum stated that this decision is based on the conclusions of a technical study report submitted to it last Friday. The Louvre stated that it has “immediately launched a supplementary investigation to determine the cause of the recent changes and to carry out the necessary repairs as soon as possible.” The Louvre emphasized that these problems are “recent and unforeseen changes,” and that the museum had already warned the Ministry of Culture in January of this year about serious aging issues at one of the world’s most popular museums.

This incident comes almost a month after the theft on October 19th, when a criminal gang broke in and stole eight pieces of royal jewels worth approximately €88 million, the whereabouts of which remain unknown.

Shortly afterward, Macron announced the launch of a large-scale renovation and modernization project for the Louvre, focusing on the Sully Quartet. According to a recent report by the Court of Auditors, the budget requires at least €1.15 billion. The report also points out that the Louvre is experiencing a “significant lag” in its investment pace, while the museum’s decline is “accelerating,” despite receiving nearly 9 million visitors in 2024.

(This article is excerpted from Radio France Internationale.)