French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Christophe Leribault as the new head of the Louvre, the world's most-visited museum, following the resignation of Laurence des Cars on Tuesday. Leribault, currently the director of the Palace of Versailles, will take on the role amid a crisis sparked by a high-profile jewellery heist and persistent staff strikes.
Security Failures and Management Crisis
Des Cars faced intense scrutiny after burglars stole jewels worth an estimated $102 million from the Louvre in October, a theft that remains unsolved and exposed significant security lapses. In a statement, the culture ministry emphasised that Leribault's immediate priorities will be to enhance the safety of the building, collections, and visitors, restore a climate of trust, and drive necessary transformations in collaboration with museum teams.
A History of Institutional Challenges
The Louvre has been grappling with multiple issues beyond the heist. Strikes over pay and working conditions have repeatedly forced closures since mid-December, while water leaks and a ticket fraud investigation, which prosecutors say diverted over €10 million over a decade, have further tarnished the museum's reputation. A state auditors' report last year criticised management for prioritising acquisitions over urgent security and infrastructure upgrades, noting that only 39% of rooms in the vast museum had CCTV cameras installed as of 2024.
Systemic Failures Highlighted
A parliamentary inquiry described the Louvre as a "state within a state," with its chair, Alexandre Portier, pointing to "systemic failures" and "a denial of risk" revealed by the burglary. Des Cars, who was appointed in 2021, admitted to a "terrible failure" shortly after the incident, acknowledging that security camera coverage of the museum's exterior was "highly inadequate."
Leribault's Background and Mission
Christophe Leribault, a 62-year-old 18th-century art historian, brings extensive experience to the role. He previously led the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris before taking over at Versailles in 2024, and served as deputy director of the Louvre's department of graphic arts from 2006 to 2012. Macron's office stated that the Louvre requires "calm and a strong new impetus" to advance major security and modernisation projects, a task now entrusted to Leribault as he leaves Versailles.
The appointment comes at a critical juncture for the Louvre, which welcomed over 8.7 million visitors last year but faces mounting pressure to address its vulnerabilities and restore public confidence in one of Paris's premier cultural institutions.
