Museum boss warns: After the Louvre robbery, security pressure is increasing in Speyer!

Museum boss warns: After the Louvre robbery, security pressure is increasing in Speyer!

After the spectacular robbery in the Louvre that took place on October 19, 2025, security precautions in museums have once again come into focus. The director of the Historical Museum of the Palatinate, Alexander Schubert, comments on the alarming situation that has characterized the art-loving area in Europe in recent months. “Museums are not Fort Knox,” he sums up the challenge and makes it clear that despite the best possible security measures, accessibility for visitors remains an essential aspect. The brutal methods of the perpetrators, who are only interested in material value, frighten him deeply, as rheinpfalz.de reports.

The circumstances of the robbery in the Louvre are disturbing: the actions of four perpetrators who disguised themselves as construction workers and quickly stole eight pieces of valuable jewelry show that security gaps can have fatal consequences. Among other things, jewelry belonging to prominent historical figures such as Empress Eugénie and Marie-Louise were stolen, with the thieves even losing a valuable piece during their escape. This is symptomatic of a trend that is affecting more and more cities in Europe - spectacular thefts and the targeted exploitation of vulnerabilities in the security architecture of museums. Deutschlandfunk Kultur highlights that similar incidents in Dresden, Berlin and other cities also repeatedly make headlines.

Security situation in museums

Schubert makes it clear that the Palatinate Historical Museum is continually working to improve security measures. Alarm systems and room surveillance are standard, especially for loans, as in the case of the “Caesar and Cleopatra” exhibition. High-security showcases with alarm systems were installed for these. However, after the Louvre robbery, he fears that lenders might increase their security requirements. “The issue of security is important to us,” affirms Schubert, while at the same time emphasizing that complete security is not possible as long as museums have to remain accessible to the public.

The security situation in the Louvre itself is viewed critically: reports show that there were inadequate security forces and that some critical surveillance systems, such as cameras in places with valuable exhibits, were missing. These defects may also have played a role in previous thefts, such as an incident at the Palatinate Historical Museum in which a wooden carved figure was stolen during opening hours. The stolen “Hottenmann” was worth around 20,000 euros at the time, and no investigation has yet been made.

The challenges of museum security

The Louvre case raises questions about security technology, which is not financially viable for many museums. Reference is also made to the personnel situation; Unions have criticized inadequate pay and poor human resources management, which is leading to a decline in qualified security guards. This further exacerbates the situation because the fewer security forces there are on site, the more vulnerable the facilities become to theft. Schubert points to the important role of security forces, which are often understaffed, and makes it clear how crucial a good security concept is.

In summary, recent events clearly show that museums, as places of culture and education, are caught in a constant balancing act between accessibility and security. While Schubert is confident that his team is well positioned, there remains the constant challenge of balancing the protection of the valuable exhibits with the desired proximity to the public. A balancing act that is being put on the agenda like never before. In the future, it will be crucial how museums respond to security requirements and whether they are prepared to invest in the urgently needed technical measures to protect their treasures.