Art Historian Christophe Leribault Takes Helm at Louvre Amid Crisis
Christophe Leribault Appointed Louvre Director in Crisis

Art Historian Christophe Leribault Takes Helm at Louvre Amid Crisis

PARIS (AP) — The Louvre Museum, home to the iconic "Mona Lisa," is welcoming a new leader. Art historian Christophe Leribault, an experienced museum director, has been appointed to steer the world's largest museum out of a deepening crisis, triggered by a brazen theft of French crown jewels in October 2025.

Appointment Announced Amid Institutional Turmoil

French government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon confirmed Leribault's appointment on Wednesday. He succeeds outgoing director Laurence des Cars, who resigned on Tuesday. Leribault inherits a formidable set of challenges at the Paris landmark, a former royal palace now grappling with multiple issues.

The daylight robbery, one of the most high-profile museum thefts in recent memory, exposed alarming security vulnerabilities. This incident has compounded a series of other problems painting a picture of a treasured national institution in distress:

  • A burst pipe near the "Mona Lisa" and water leaks damaging priceless books.
  • Aging infrastructure and staff walkouts over overcrowding and understaffing.
  • Ticket price hikes for most non-European visitors.
  • A suspected decade-long ticket fraud operation, revealed recently, potentially costing the Louvre 10 million euros ($11.8 million).

Leribault's Proven Track Record

Leribault brings a strong background to the role. He has been managing the Versailles Palace, another world-renowned French tourist attraction, with an annual budget of about 170 million euros ($200 million). Versailles hosted Olympic equestrian events during the Paris 2024 Summer Games. Previously, he led Paris' Orsay Museum, showcasing his expertise in overseeing major cultural institutions.

In announcing the appointment, Bregeon stated, "He will be tasked with leading important projects that are crucial for the institution's future." These include security enhancements, modernization upgrades, and advancing the "Louvre New Renaissance" overhaul plan championed by President Emmanuel Macron.

Modernization and Future Plans

Unveiled by Macron in January 2025, the renovation project aims to modernize the museum, which is seen as overstretched and physically worn by mass tourism. Expected to take up to a decade and cost roughly 700 million-800 million euros ($826 million-$944 million), it will be funded through ticket revenue, state support, donations, and income from Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Key elements of the plan include:

  1. A new entrance near the Seine River to alleviate pressure on I.M. Pei's pyramid.
  2. New underground spaces and a dedicated room for the "Mona Lisa" with timed access.
  3. Improvements to crowd flow to reduce daily visitor crushes, a symbol of both the Louvre's success and dysfunction.

Bregeon described Leribault as "very solid, trusted" and emphasized his expected role in providing "vision" and "calm" to the museum. The Culture Ministry highlighted his extensive experience and noted that he will prioritize strengthening security for buildings, collections, visitors, and staff, while "restoring a climate of trust."