Overview
- The leak was discovered on November 26, according to the museum, in rooms holding egyptology journals and scientific documentation from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- The Louvre says no unique patrimonial works were lost and plans to dry, restore and reshelve the damaged volumes.
- Some outlets report certain old bindings are beyond repair, a claim the museum disputes while the internal review proceeds.
- Officials attribute the incident to a mistakenly opened valve in a long-obsolete heating and ventilation network that was out of service and scheduled for replacement starting September 2026.
- Unions and staff say warnings about failing pipes went unheeded, and one report says water reached an electrical cabinet on the floor below, raising safety concerns.