PARIS, FRANCE – Hundreds of works at the Louvre in Paris were damaged after a burst pipe caused by flooding, the museum’s deputy general administrator said. The flooding affected one of the Egyptian antiquities libraries, impacting an estimated 300 to 400 items, including books, visual periodicals, and archaeology journals used by Egyptologists and researchers.
Some of the books, dating back to the late 19th century, were soaked and are now being carefully dried, with staff dehumidifying pages individually and taking other preservation measures. The affected library room is part of a section scheduled for major ventilation and heating renovations starting in September 2026. This incident comes shortly after a high-profile theft at the museum in October, when four thieves stole eight pieces of France’s Crown Jewels in under eight minutes. Investigations into the heist are ongoing, and several suspects have been arrested and charged with robbery by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy.