Louvre woes continue after pipe burst damages hundreds of rare books
Global News
The burst pipe, which damaged hundreds 19th and 20th century books, occurred mere weeks after the brazen daylight heist of royal jewels.
A water leak damaged several hundred publications stored in the Louvre‘s Egyptian antiquities library, mere weeks after a brazen daylight heist humiliated officials at the world’s most-visited museum.
The leak, which occurred on Nov. 26, damaged works including revues and documents from the 19th and 20th century, the museum told France 24 on Dec. 7. It was caused by the opening of a valve in a network of water pipes that are due to be replaced next year.
The museum’s deputy administrator Francis Steinbock described the damaged works as “Egyptology journals” and “scientific documentation” used by researchers.
“No heritage artifacts have been affected by this damage,” he said, adding that “at this stage, we have no irreparable and definitive losses in these collections.”
The museum administrator said the “completely obsolete” water system has been shut down and is due to be replaced in September 2026.
The Louvre said there would be an internal investigation into the leak.
Steinbock said that the works will be “dried, sent to a bookbinder to be restored and then returned to the shelves.”
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