Louvre readies Mona Lisa move and reopens Apollo gallery post‑heist

The Louvre is preparing to relocate the Mona Lisa to a new 3,000 m² sanctuary beneath the Cour Carrée by 2031. The plan, part of the decade‑long "Louvre New Renaissance" renovation, aims to ease crowding and modernise infrastructure with an estimated cost of up to €800 million. Experts note that the 500‑year‑old poplar panel is fragile but, with careful climate control, the risk of damage is assessed as low.

Separately, the museum's Apollo gallery reopened to the public in July 2026 after the October 2025 theft of crown jewels valued at €88 million. No jewels have been recovered. The gallery now displays its 17th‑century architecture without the former jewels, and the museum has installed new surveillance cameras and anti‑intrusion systems. Director Christophe Leribault, appointed in February following the resignation of his predecessor, said the reopening offers an opportunity to rediscover the space. French Culture Minister Catherine Pegard called the heist "a trauma for the whole world" and emphasized the need for heightened security.