Laurence des Cars (born Laurence ÃÂlisabeth de Pérusse des Cars on 13 June 1966) is a French museum curator and art historian. Between September 2021 and February 2026, she served as director of the Louvre Museum, having previously headed the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée de l'Orangerie, all located in Paris, France.
Des Cars was born in Antony in the southern suburbs of Paris. She is the daughter of the journalist and writer and granddaughter of the novelist Guy des Cars (himself the second son of François de Pérusse des Cars, 5th Duc des Cars). She studied art history at Paris-Sorbonne University and the ÃÂcole du Louvre.
Upon graduating, Des Cars joined the Institut national du patrimoine and took her first position as curator at the Musée d'Orsay in 1994. She is a specialist on the art of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century. She is the author of numerous illustrated essays, including the book Les Préraphaélites : Un modernisme àl'anglaise on the Pre-Raphaelites for the Découvertes Gallimard collection.
Des Cars was appointed scientific director of the in July 2007, the agency in charge of the development of the Louvre Abu Dhabi. She was also promoted to General Curator of Heritage in 2011 and was appointed director of the Musée de l'Orangerie in January 2014, by the Minister of Culture, Aurélie Filippetti. On 27 February 2017, she was officially appointed director of the Musée d'Orsay by President François Hollande.
Des Cars was appointed as director of the Louvre Museum on 1 September 2021, making her the first woman to hold the position in the establishment's 228-year history.
On 24 February 2026 it was announced that president Macron accepted her resignation as director of the Louvre.
Under her direction, on the morning of 19 October 2025, the Musée du Louvre announced that it would be closed for the day "for exceptional reasons". According to the Ministry of Culture and media reports, a theft had occurred at the Galerie dâÂÂApollon, a gallery where jewellery from the French Crown Jewels collection were on display. These included nine items said to have belonged to Napoleon and the Empress Joséphine, such as a necklace, a tiara and a brooch. The incident raised significant concerns regarding the security of national patrimony and cultural heritage, and an investigation was launched.
During a Senate hearing Des Cars confirmed that she had offered her resignation, but it was declined, with an official telling the media that "It would be counter-productive to cut off a head today, if it's not the right one".
Des Cars is a chevalier of the Legion of Honour, the National Order of Merit, and an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters. On 1 December 2022, she was among the guests invited to the state dinner hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden in honour of President Emmanuel Macron at the White House.
As a teacher at the ÃÂcole du Louvre, she organised exhibitions for various museums, including: