In 1990, thieves disguised as policemen staged a daring robbery of Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Gardner’s will states that the museum must remain just as she left it, which is part of its charm — she mixed periods and styles as she saw fit, creating a unique presentation of art and antiquities. The museum cannot therefore rearrange the art, nor can they buy new works — let alone replace those stolen by parties unknown 15 years ago. Instead, there are blank spaces on the walls, filled only with white cards stating what had been there, and that the work in question had been stolen on March 18, 1990. Mrs-Heathen-To-Be and I visited the museum in November, and learned the story then.

Now it appears that the FBI is investigating former Vivendi head Jean-Marie Messier in connection with the robbery.

(via Metafilter)