Dhaka: The Louvre Museum has reopened its historic Apollo Gallery to visitors for the first time since last year’s high-profile theft of the French crown jewels. The gallery no longer displays the royal jewels and other valuable treasures, as the museum has restored the space to its original 17th-century ceremonial purpose.

According to United News of Bangladesh, the Louvre has strengthened security by installing additional surveillance cameras and new anti-intrusion systems following the robbery. During the heist, thieves broke into the Apollo Gallery through a window and stole French crown jewels worth about 88 million euros (around $102 million). The theft took less than eight minutes and exposed major security weaknesses at the world-famous museum.

The security upgrades are part of the Louvre’s long-term “Louvre New Renaissance” renovation programme, launched last year. The project, estimated to cost up to 800 million euros (about $933 million), aims to modernise the museum, reduce overcrowding and create a dedicated gallery for the Mona Lisa by 2031.