India, July 23 -- The Louvre's Apollo gallery on Wednesday reopened to the public for the first time since 88 million euros (102 million) worth of crown jewels were stolen in a dramatic daytime heist. The public can tour the majestic room and view its gilded ceilings and Greek frescoes en route to the nearby Mona Lisa, but they won't see any crown jewels or empty display cases.

The collections and precious jewels once displayed there have been removed, as the museum said the gallery is returning to its 17th-century original ceremonial purpose. The stolen jewels remain unrecovered nine months later. The gallery's former exhibits will be relocated elsewhere in the museum, said Christophe Leribault, the Louvre's director. "It's also an oppo...