France's Court of Auditors has sharply criticized the Louvre Museum for prioritizing "visible and attractive operations" at the expense of security, following a major jewelry theft that shocked the international community three weeks ago. The court's scathing report highlights significant investment delays amid accelerated deterioration of the world's most visited museum.
"The theft of the Crown Jewels is, without a doubt, a deafening alarm signal," declared Pierre Moscovici, First President of the Court of Auditors. On October 19, criminals successfully broke into the museum and stole jewels valued at 88 million euros ($96 million). The stolen jewelry remains missing, and four suspects have been charged and imprisoned in connection with the heist.
The Court of Auditors' report, which examines the museum's management between 2018 and 2024, found that museum leadership "prioritized visible and attractive operations at the expense of building maintenance and renovation of technical installations, particularly safety and security systems." The court pointed to "considerable delays in the pace of investments" in the face of "accelerated deterioration" of the museum, which welcomed nearly nine million visitors in 2024.
The audit also raised alarms about "persistent delays in deploying security equipment for artwork protection." These investments are "essential for ensuring the institution's sustainable operation," the auditors emphasized. Moscovici stressed that "the top priority today must be museum renovation and modernization of its infrastructure regarding fire safety, security, and protection systems. The Louvre deserves this." He referenced a security audit conducted in 2015-2017 that revealed "flaws" but was never acted upon.
These recommendations echo findings from an administrative investigation launched after the heist, which revealed a "chronic underestimation" of intrusion risks at the Louvre. The report found that the museum, "due to a lack of prioritization among its numerous projects, faces a wall of investments it cannot finance," despite having "abundant resources."
Between 2018 and 2024, the Louvre allocated 26.7 million euros for maintenance work and bringing systems up to standards, compared to 105.4 million euros spent on artwork acquisitions, according to the report. More broadly, the court argued that the museum must shift from "endured attendance to chosen attendance." As Moscovici summarized, "The objective for the institution is no longer to increase visitor numbers but to improve their visiting conditions."
In her response to the court, Culture Minister Rachida Dati said she "agrees" with the assessment "on the urgency of technical work." However, she said she does not "entirely" share the court's view on the museum's acquisition policy, which she defended in the name of "enriching national collections." The Louvre's management said it accepts "most of the court's recommendations" while arguing that the report "overlooks" several of its actions, particularly regarding security.
"Managing the world's largest and most visited museum can only be fairly judged if that judgment is based on the long term," the Louvre defended. The institution also argued that the court overstepped its study period (2018-2024) by discussing the vast museum renovation project called "Louvre, New Renaissance," which was presented by President Emmanuel Macron in January.
The court revised upward the project's cost to 1.15 billion euros, compared to the 700-800 million euros mentioned by the president's entourage. "At this stage, this project is not funded and must be in order not to expose the institution, and therefore the state, to uncontrolled financial commitments," Moscovici warned. "Its financing plan must be serious and credible, sustainable and secure," Dati agreed in her response.
Under pressure since the October 19 heist, Louvre President-Director Laurence des Cars, who has been in position since September 2021, convened an emergency board meeting on Friday to review the museum's governance structure. The theft and subsequent criticism have raised fundamental questions about the balance between the Louvre's cultural mission and its security responsibilities in an era of unprecedented visitor numbers and evolving threats.
