300-400 Books Up to 100 Years Old Damaged... Louvre Faces Controversy Over Latest Water Leak Incident

Water Seeps Through Ceiling from Aging Pipes
Another Management Controversy Follows 'Jewel Theft' Incident

Following a jewel theft incident in October, the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, has now suffered another mishap as hundreds of books belonging to its Department of Ancient Egypt were damaged due to water leakage.

According to AFP News and other sources on December 7 (local time), a leak occurred at the end of last month, resulting in damage to between 300 and 400 books housed in the Egyptian Department of the Louvre Museum.

Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

The deputy director of the Stainbock Museum in France described the damaged items as "Egyptology books and scientific documents used by researchers." He explained that the affected works date from the late 19th to early 20th century, noting, "They are very useful, but not absolutely unique." He added, "At present, there is no clear evidence of irrecoverable loss to the collection," and stated that "the water-damaged items will be dried, restored, and then returned to the shelves."

In contrast to the Louvre's explanation, the art-specialized website 'La Tribune de l'Art' reported that around 400 rare books were affected by the leak.

The Louvre attributes the incident to water leakage caused by aging pipes. Museum officials explained that an old valve in the heating and ventilation system malfunctioned, allowing water to escape and seep through the ceiling of the book storage building. The museum announced that it would launch an internal investigation. Stainbock stated that the issue with the aging pipes had been recognized several years ago, and repairs were originally scheduled for September of next year.

With this leak following the jewel theft incident in October, criticism over the Louvre Museum's poor management is mounting. At that time, a gang of four stole eight jewels worth 149.9 billion won, exposing lax security controls. Last month, the museum also closed the Campana Gallery, which displays Greek ceramics, and some office spaces due to safety concerns.