Robbery at Louvre triggers evacuation; museum closes for the day
What's the story
Rachida Dati, France's Culture Minister, has reported a robbery at the iconic Louvre Museum in Paris. The museum said it was closing for the day for "exceptional reasons." Dati wrote on the social media platform X that there were "no injuries to report." She said she was on site alongside the museum teams and the police and that investigations are underway.
Twitter Post
Panic amid evacuation of the museum
PANIQUE TOTALE au Musée du Louvre évacué d’urgence 🤯 Braquage confirmé par Rachida Dati. pic.twitter.com/p2c1Eo5XjT
— Raspoutine (@gregraspoutine) October 19, 2025
Significance
Jewelry suspected to be stolen
The Louvre is home to some of the world's most iconic historical artefacts, including the Mona Lisa. And, while the museum has not yet released a statement, media reports suggest that jewelry was stolen from its collection. According to AFP, robbers arrived on a scooter with small chainsaws and used a goods lift to reach the room that they targeted.
Details
9 items believed missing
The room in question is the Apollo Gallery, on the Seine River side of the museum. It is an ornate room where the remnants of France's crown jewels are kept. The thieves apparently made off with nine items of jewelry. The Louvre is the largest museum in the world, displaying more than 35,000 works of art, and attracts around 30,000 daily visitors.