'Fragility': Louvre closes offices, gallery over structural concerns

The Louvre Museum in Paris said on Monday it is temporarily closing some employees’ offices and one public gallery because of structural fragility.

The announcement came as the world’s most visited museum, housed in a former medieval palace, is preparing for ambitious renovations announced earlier this year. The Louvre is also still reeling from last month’s heist of crown jewels worth more than US$100 million (NZ$177 million).

The museum said in a statement that a technical report submitted Friday flagged "particular fragility of certain beams holding up the floors" of the second level of the southern wing of the Louvre’s Sully wing because of "recent and unforeseen developments". It did not elaborate.

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Museum management decided to block access to the second-level offices and temporarily relocate the 65 employees working there for three days while experts assess the damage. The museum is also closing the Campana Gallery — which is situated below the offices and exhibits antique Greek ceramics — as a precautionary measure.

Modernising the Sully wing is among priorities of the renovation efforts announced in January.