The Louvre Museum  (Photo by Xinhua)

Weeks after a jewel heist raised concerns about security at the Paris museum, the Louvre was once again in the spotlight as the museum said on Sunday that a water leak in late November damaged several hundred works in its Egyptian department, AFP reported. 

"Between 300 and 400 works" were affected by the leak discovered on November 26, the museum's deputy administrator, Francis Steinbock, was quoted by AFP as saying, describing them as "Egyptology journals" and "scientific documentation" used by researchers.

The damaged items dated from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Steinbock added. The works will "be dried, sent to a bookbinder to be restored, and then returned to the shelves", he said.

The incident resulted from a water leak in the hydraulic system supplying the library's heating and ventilation equipment, caused by the erroneous opening of a valve. It was discovered around 8:45 pm on November 26, a little less than three hours after the library had closed, the local French media BFMTV reported.

An article from French magazine La Tribune de l'Art revealed that for years, the department has been requesting from Steinbock funds to protect these books from a potential rupture of the pipes running through the false ceilings, whose state of dilapidation is well known to the services, regularly causing less serious leaks.

The La Tribune de l'Art said the flooding of the library of the department of Egyptian antiquities again demonstrates that the museum should focus on the restoration and maintenance of the palace.

It's the latest setback for one of the most visited museums in the world, which was the site of a daring jewelry heist nearly two months ago. 

On October 19, four thieves swept through the Louvre in less than eight minutes and stole eight of France's crown jewels, valued at an estimated 88 million euros ($102 million), a NBC report said.

In late November, the Louvre said it would raise ticket prices for most non-EU visitors, meaning US, British and Chinese tourists, among others, will have to pay €32 ($37.2) to get in, according to AFP.

The museum claimed the 45 percent price hike aimed to boost annual revenues by up to $23 million to fund structural improvements. The Louvre welcomed 8.7 million visitors in 2024, 69 percent from abroad, per AFP.

Global Times