Hundreds of books from the Louvre Museum collection suffer damage after water leak

Hundreds of books in the department of Egyptian antiquities at the Louvre Museum in Paris were damaged by a water leak, exposing further infrastructure issues at the location just weeks after a multimillion-dollar jewelry theft revealed security flaws. As reported by ‘La Tribune de l’Art,’ a specialized arts website, around 400 rare works were affected due to deteriorating pipes. The report highlights the sector’s ongoing struggle to secure resources to protect the collection, with little success. The incident occurred on Wednesday (27th), and the offices of the department were also affected and closed to visitors.
The Louvre’s deputy administrator, Francis Steinbock, told the French news channel ‘BFM TV’ that the leak impacted one of the three library rooms, damaging between 300 and 400 books – the exact number is still being determined. He mentioned that the damaged books are not considered precious but are frequently consulted by Egyptologists. Steinbock admitted that the issue was long-standing, with repairs scheduled only for September 2026.
In October, four thieves stole jewels valued at US$102 million (over R$550 million) in broad daylight, exposing serious security flaws. The following month, structural vulnerabilities led to the partial closure of the Greek vases wing and offices. A report from the French Court of Audit released in October highlighted the museum’s struggle to modernize its infrastructure, exacerbated by the high expenses from acquiring new works.
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