The Louvre Museum in Paris was closed to the public on Sunday, 19 October, following what the French government has described as a robbery carried out at opening time.
The Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, confirmed the incident, stating that there were no injuries and that police were conducting on-site examinations. The museum announced a same-day closure “for exceptional reasons.”
⚠️🇫🇷 Le musée du Louvre restera fermé aujourd’hui pour raisons exceptionnelles.
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⚠️🌍 The Musée du Louvre will remain closed today for exceptional reasons. pic.twitter.com/bFY1hRaW5k— Musée du Louvre (@MuseeLouvre) October 19, 2025
According to information relayed by Agence France-Presse and French broadcasters, several individuals entered the building during the early opening period. Jewellery pieces were reportedly stolen, and the suspects remain at large.
Further reporting indicates that the assailants accessed the museum from the Seine side of the building, where construction works are under way, and used a service lift to reach the targeted room—the Galerie d’Apollon.
Accounts published by local media suggest that after breaking glazing, two men entered the gallery while an accomplice acted as lookout. Nine pieces from the imperial jewellery collection linked to Napoleon and the Empress were reportedly taken before the group fled.
Le Sacre de Napoléon by Jacques-Louis David, 1807
Rachida Dati said she was on site with museum teams and police and reiterated that there were no injuries. Authorities have not confirmed whether weapons were used. Investigators were securing the premises and assessing the extent of the theft.
Officials and media reports indicate that nine historic jewels were stolen from displays associated with Napoleon and the Empress. Early descriptions specify a necklace, a brooch and a tiara among the missing items. A full, authoritative inventory has not yet been published.
Hortensia
What was not taken is also notable. The Regent diamond—about 140 carats and a centrepiece of the Apollo Gallery—was reported to be safe, according to early coverage citing police sources. Other celebrated stones in the room include the Sancy and the pink-hued Hortensia (sometimes rendered Hydrangea).
The Galerie d’Apollon houses the French Crown Jewels and other celebrated works, including the Regent, Sancy and Hortensia diamonds, according to the museum’s official materials.
The Galerie d’Apollon—dubbed by the museum “Sun, Gold and Diamonds”—reopened in 2020 after refurbishment. It houses 23 crown-jewel pieces and related hardstone works, displayed in central cases grouped by period (pre-Revolution, First Empire, Second Empire). The hall’s design influenced the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.
At the time of writing, the Louvre and the ministry had not released valuations. Officials have stressed the cultural and historical significance of the missing items. Crowd management measures were put in place around the palace complex while police secured the site.
The theft follows a series of museum break-ins in France in recent weeks, including the removal of gold specimens worth about €600,000 from the Natural History Museum in Paris, and a separate incident in Limoges involving high-value porcelain. Authorities have not commented on any link between cases.
The incident is expected to prompt scrutiny of security arrangements at major heritage institutions, particularly during periods of renovation affecting access routes. The museum remained closed for the day while initial procedures were carried out.
Police have opened an investigation; officials have not issued public descriptions of the suspects. Media outlets report that the inquiry is under way and that assessments at the scene are continuing.
The Louvre’s public communications stated only that the site would remain closed on Sunday for exceptional reasons, with further information to follow.
The removal and attempted circulation of heritage items of this type typically trigger international alerts; Interpol and UNESCO frameworks are used to help identify and recover stolen cultural property.
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