After the Louvre Heist: Remembering 3 Museums That Were Also Robbed—But in Movies

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On October 19th and 20th, news broke worldwide that unknown thieves had robbed the National Art Museum in Paris.

According to CNN, thieves made off with precious items from Napoleon's collection at the Louvre.

Sounds like something straight out of a movie. Perfect time to revisit stories about three real museums that have been robbed on screen. We've got the newsmaking Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum, and even a comedy about Turkey's Topkapi—without which we wouldn't have those iconic "Mission: Impossible" stunts.

Topkapi (1964)

Starring: Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov, Maximilian Schell

Museum: Topkapi

Based on Eric Ambler's novel "The Light of Day," this heist comedy follows criminals Elizabeth Lipp and Walter Harper. The duo sets their sights on stealing an ancient dagger from Istanbul's Topkapi Museum—something they can flip for serious cash.

After mapping out their plan, Lipp and Harper bring con man Arthur Simpson into the crew. Together, the three pull off the heist without a hitch. Time to celebrate? Not quite.

Turns out Arthur's been playing both sides all along—spying on his partners for the police. Peter Ustinov even won an Oscar for the role.
Trailer for "Topkapi"
Despite being over sixty years old, the film still pulls in rave reviews from audiences.

On Rotten Tomatoes, it's got a 95% fresh rating. Critics praise its "sparkling dialogue," stellar performances, and breezy storytelling.

Fun fact: some scenes were actually shot inside the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul. And the film inspired the creators of "Mission: Impossible" to create that famous cable-drop stunt.

The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo

Museum: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

This cult thriller starring Pierce Brosnan was made in the late '90s as a remake of the 1968 film of the same name.

The story centers on billionaire Thomas Crown, who decides to spice up his boring, wealthy life.

For kicks, he steals Monet's "San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk" from the Metropolitan Museum of Art—a painting worth about $100 million.
Close-up of actor Pierce Brosnan's face, with a painting in an ornate frame on the right
Frames from "The Thomas Crown Affair" trailer
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This means a Swiss insurance company has to cough up a hefty sum for the stolen painting. So they hire a detective to investigate the incident. The woman begins hunting Crown.

While "Topkapi" was partly shot in an actual museum, the filmmakers here weren't allowed to shoot at the Met. According to La Times: But the rejection didn't hurt the final thriller one bit. Visually, we viewers didn't lose anything, because the soundstages where the museum scenes were shot look just as good as the real thing.

And if they couldn't shoot at the Met, what about the paintings? Those were created specifically for the film too. The masterpieces were painted by artists from the Troubetzkoy Gallery workshop.

You can actually check out the gallery's work on their website. And honestly, they look like the real deal.

Lupin (TV Series 2021 – 2023)

Starring: Omar Sy, Ludivine Sagnier

Museum: The Louvre

And here's the star of recent headlines – the Louvre. The show's story bears an uncanny resemblance to what happened on October 19, since the series also revolves around a stolen treasure.

The plot follows professional Senegalese thief Assane Diop, who's been obsessed since childhood with stories about the gentleman burglar Arsène Lupin, created by French writer Maurice Leblanc.

Inspired by his favorite literary character, he sets out to steal Marie Antoinette's necklace from the Louvre.

Why that particular piece? It all goes back to Assane's father, who was wrongfully convicted 25 years ago for stealing that very necklace – a false accusation that drove him to take his own life.
Actor Omar Sy smiling in a cap, the Louvre Museum in France on the right
Frames from the trailer for the series "Lupin"
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Ultimately, our hero pulls off the heist. Here's where it gets fun: the detective assigned to investigate the theft happens to be a Leblanc fan himself. At some point, he realizes Diop's methods mirror Lupin's techniques a little too closely.

The show's creators managed to strike a deal with the museum's management, so they filmed some scenes not just around the Louvre but actually inside it. No wonder IMDb viewers praise the show for its "stunning visuals."

Sure, "Lupin" has its plot holes and rough edges, but you'll stop noticing them pretty quickly. The series is breezy and entertaining.

As viewer bbosma-24403 put it in their review: "Take this as pure entertainment and don't get hung up on some details. Just relax and enjoy the cleverness of some scenes, the humor in others, and the overall fun." Earlier at zoomboola.com, we shared Reddit users' picks for 5 must-see films that 90% of people haven't watched.