Louvre Leak Soaks 300–400 Egyptology Volumes, Exposing Strained Infrastructure

Overview

• The museum says the leak was discovered on November 26 in the Mollien wing library after a valve was mistakenly opened on the hydraulic network that feeds heating and ventilation.
• Between 300 and 400 journals and scientific documentation used by Egyptologists were affected in one of the library’s three rooms, with no irreplaceable losses reported and restoration underway.
• The affected library room and departmental offices remain closed for assessment as an internal investigation examines the chain of errors behind the incident.
• The obsolete hydraulic network has been shut down for months and is scheduled for replacement starting in September 2026 after long-delayed upgrades.
• Scrutiny of the Louvre has intensified following the $102 million jewel theft in October, a critical Cour des Comptes audit, and recent gallery closures, as unions plan a Monday assembly and the museum prepares a 45% ticket-price increase for non‑European visitors in 2026 to fund modernization.