The Apollo Gallery at the Louvre has reopened to the public after being closed following a daring robbery where valuable crown jewels worth £75 million were stolen from the renowned museum. The thieves, disguised as workmen, used a cherry picker to break into the gallery in Paris on October 19, 2025, and swiftly grabbed eight items, including a significant emerald and diamond necklace gifted by Napoleon I to his second wife, Marie Louise.

Despite the arrest of four suspects linked to the heist, some of the stolen jewels are still missing almost a year later. The reopening of the Apollo Gallery presented an unusual sight as eager visitors were met with an empty room devoid of the once-displayed historic jewelry, which has since been removed for security reasons.

The gallery has now been restored to its original 17th-century ceremonial role, allowing visitors to admire its ornate gilded ceilings and Greek frescoes on their way to see the nearby Mona Lisa. Christophe Leribault, the current Louvre director who assumed the role following the resignation of Laurence des Cars after the robbery, mentioned that the relocated exhibits will be showcased elsewhere in the museum.

In response to the theft, enhanced security measures have been implemented at the museum, including the installation of new surveillance cameras and anti-intrusion systems. This upgrade, costing an estimated £683 million, aims to modernize infrastructure, alleviate overcrowding, and provide a dedicated gallery for the Mona Lisa by 2031.