A new incident has affected the famous Louvre following the recent theft of royal jewels. According to French media reports, a leak in the museum's sewage system has caused damage to several exhibits, including many rare books.
According to Kazinform, the flooding occurred on November 27 and covered a significant area. Water entered the Egyptian antiquities sector, where ancient scientific texts and records of archaeological research created over two hundred years ago were severely damaged.
French publications note that the incident did not come as a surprise: warnings about problems related to outdated infrastructure had been sounding for a long time.
Journalist Didier Rykner, in his article for La Tribune de l’Art, mentions that the museum's deputy director, Francis Steinbock, had already received requests for funding measures to protect against potential pipe leaks that run through the badly deteriorated ceilings.
According to the Court of Auditors, the work to improve the infrastructure cost 276,000 euros.
“It is clear that the convenience of the president-director of the Louvre takes precedence over the safety of the scientific library, which houses rare and valuable books necessary for curators in their work,” noted Didier Rykner.
French opposition leader Jordan Bardella has already described the flooding of part of the Louvre as a new humiliation for the country.
