CrimeJul 08, 2026
Here’s What Thieves Stole From the Lalique Museum CrimeAug 06, 2026
Lalique Museum to Remain Closed Following $5M Heist
Museum officials are looking to the public to help cover the “exceptional” costs involved in recovering from the July 5 smash-and-grab.
The Musée Lalique in Wingen-sur-Moder, France, remains closed after thieves broke in and stole 27 pieces of jewelry worth about $5 million from the museum’s collection last month. None of the jewelry has been recovered. (Photo credit: D. Desaleux - Musée Lalique)
Wingen-sur-Moder, France—France’s Musée Lalique, a museum that pays homage to Art Nouveau designer René Lalique, will be closed for at least another month as it looks to raise money to recover from last month’s burglary.
In an update shared Wednesday, museum officials said France’s gendarmerie is continuing to investigate the break-in while museum staff works to shore up security in preparation for a “smooth” reopening.
“Unfortunately, this will not take place in August,” Museum Director Véronique Brumm Schaich said in a statement.
“We have already been working closely with the gendarmerie, experts appointed by the insurers, and several specialist firms to identify and implement the necessary security measures. The next step will be a visit from the Interministerial Mission for Safety, Security, and Accessibility, whose recommendations are essential before any reopening can take place. At this stage, it is therefore not yet possible to announce a date for the museum to reopen to the public.”
On Tuesday, the museum launched an online fundraising campaign to help cover the “exceptional” costs of reopening, noting the outpouring of support it has received online in the wake of the break-in.
Schaich said local authorities and the government have been supporting the museum, and it expects to receive additional funding from the Ministry of Culture.
The fundraising campaign is a way for members of the public to “demonstrate their commitment” to the museum and contribute to the collective effort to get it back up and running, she said.
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In an update shared Wednesday, museum officials said France’s gendarmerie is continuing to investigate the break-in while museum staff works to shore up security in preparation for a “smooth” reopening.
“Unfortunately, this will not take place in August,” Museum Director Véronique Brumm Schaich said in a statement.
“We have already been working closely with the gendarmerie, experts appointed by the insurers, and several specialist firms to identify and implement the necessary security measures. The next step will be a visit from the Interministerial Mission for Safety, Security, and Accessibility, whose recommendations are essential before any reopening can take place. At this stage, it is therefore not yet possible to announce a date for the museum to reopen to the public.”
On Tuesday, the museum launched an online fundraising campaign to help cover the “exceptional” costs of reopening, noting the outpouring of support it has received online in the wake of the break-in.
Schaich said local authorities and the government have been supporting the museum, and it expects to receive additional funding from the Ministry of Culture.
The fundraising campaign is a way for members of the public to “demonstrate their commitment” to the museum and contribute to the collective effort to get it back up and running, she said.
The Musée Lalique burglary took place in the early morning hours of July 5.
The museum said several individuals forced their way inside and smashed jewelry display cases, stealing 27 pieces designed by Lalique and worth an estimated €4.5 million, or about $5.1 million.
Chief among them was Lalique’s “Femme-libellule ailes ouvertes,” or “Woman Dragonfly With Open Wings,” pendant designed and crafted between 1898 and 1900.
The museum said the gold, diamond, and enamel pendant was the first piece acquired when the idea of opening a museum dedicated to Lalique was proposed.
“The team therefore was particularly attached to it and hopes that it can one day be found,” the museum stated in an Instagram post last month.
“It was notably the central figure in one of our visits for very young children.”
The Musée Lalique opened in 2011 in Wingen-sur-Moder, the town that is also home to the Lalique SA glass factory, the only factory in the world making products under the Lalique brand.
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