Cour des comptes Criticizes Louvre for Prioritizing Acquisitions Over Security Amidst High-Profile Burglary

A recent report by the Cour des comptes harshly criticizes the Louvre Museum for neglecting security investments in favor of high-profile acquisitions and attracting public attention, following a major burglary on October 19, 2025. The audit, spanning from 2018 to 2024, reveals substantial security vulnerabilities even as the museum faces extensive financial demands, including the over 1 billion euros needed for the Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance project (132020, 132023).

The report, officially published on November 6, highlights that successive museum presidents Jean-Luc Martinez (2013-2021) and Laurence des Cars (since 2021) prioritized acquisitions and visible projects designed to bolster media appeal and sponsorship deals over critical security enhancements. Notably, the Louvre’s fire safety plan, initiated in 2004, remains unfinished two decades later, and camera coverage in key areas such as the Denon wing, which houses the Mona Lisa, reached only 64% by 2024, a modest increase from 51% five years prior (132020).

Trade unions like CFDT and SUD have long pointed out significant delays in maintenance and modernization investments. The Cour des comptes dedicates only a small portion of its extensive 153-page report to security, underscoring a troubling oversight given the museum's status as a world-renowned cultural institution (132020).

In response, the Louvre acknowledged most recommendations from the report but contested some findings, arguing the audit overlooks specific security measures the museum has implemented. The management also emphasized the importance of evaluating the museum’s complex operation through a long-term lens, particularly citing challenges around financial degradation, oversized acquisitions, underinvestment in maintenance, visitor management, and the ambitious Nouvelle Renaissance project revealed earlier in 2025 by President Emmanuel Macron (132010).

This critical report adds context to the high-profile theft, spotlighting how budgetary choices favoring acquisitions and museum visibility may have left security insufficiently funded and prioritized. It raises pressing questions about future governance and resource allocation needed to safeguard one of the world's most visited museums (132095).