Louvre Director Resigns Amid Heist Fallout
Laurence des Cars's resignation comes months after the infamous jewel heist drew international ire.
Laurence des Cars resigned from her post as the president and director of the Louvre Museum today, February 24, after months of scrutiny following the infamous jewel heist last October.
“Through both hardship and success, directing the Louvre has been the honor of my professional life,” des Cars stated in her resignation notice to the museum's staff. “I have devoted all my energy and determination to it. Not a single minute of my time has been wasted in service to the Louvre.”
Des Cars, who was appointed in 2021 and became the first woman to steer the Louvre, underscored in the announcement that she had repeatedly warned of the museum's outdated infrastructure throughout her tenure. She stated that the heist “gave unprecedented resonance to a truth that I have been constantly reminding people of since I took office: although the Louvre is the largest museum in the world, a national marvel that houses countless masterpieces, it is nonetheless fragile.”
Hyperallergic reached out to the museum for comment regarding interim leadership, which has yet to be announced.
In addition to the heist, the Louvre has recently been embroiled in turmoil over damages caused by structural disrepair, ongoing staff strikes resulting in closures, and other issues.
Early last year, des Cars sounded the alarm about the museum's structural problems and the impact on visitor experience in a private missive to French President Emmanuel Macron that was leaked to the press. Her concerns led to the development of “Nouvelle Renaissance,” a €700-million (~$824-million), multi-year overhaul plan to improve visitor access through new entry points, create a separate room for the Mona Lisa, and update the museum's temperature and humidity systems.
Days after the brazen October 19 robbery, des Cars testified to the Culture Committee of the French Senate that she had raised concerns about dated security systems and multiple areas of disrepair with the Louvre's supervisory authorities, national representation, and the media. She also said that she had submitted her notice of resignation shortly after the heist, but Culture Minister Rachida Dati ultimately rejected it.
Amid the scrutiny, dozens of museum directors from around the world signed a letter of “heartfelt support” for des Cars, emphasizing that “Museums are not strongholds nor are they secret vaults.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art's CEO and Director Max Hollein, Tate Museum Director Maria Balshaw, and National Gallery of Art Director Kaywin Feldman were among the signatories.
The museum remained in the headlines after the crown jewels were stolen. Various reports emerged claiming that the museum's video surveillance system password was “Louvre” last November, followed shortly by the closure of a nine-room Greek ceramics gallery over structural concerns regarding the floor above it. On December 1, the news of a steep admissions price hike for non-European Union visitors starting in 2026 sparked fury among beleaguered staff who saw the tiered pricing as unfair. About one week later, a leak that affected hundreds of 19th-century Egyptology books added insult to injury.
Various strikes over staffing shortages and unsafe working conditions have caused museum closures in the months following the heist. The Louvre made headlines again this month after a second leak damaged a 19th-century ceiling painting and police arrested suspects in connection with a decade-long ticketed tour fraud scheme that resulted in approximately €10 million (~$11.9 million) in losses — the latter of which the museum said was “inevitable” at an institution of its scale.
“How can we transform the Louvre without providing it with the resources to achieve its ambitions?” des Cars asked in her resignation notice. “This situation hinders the successful implementation of change, while the Louvre cannot accept the status quo.”
