Summary
Don’t ask me how my seven-year-old son, Bobby, first learned about the “Mona Lisa.” It could have been at home with my art books, in school during a famous artists class, or even from a strange YouTube rabbit hole. However, the Louvre’s iconic masterpiece found its way into his consciousness—and last December, during our first family visit to Paris, I felt it was my duty to get him up close, crowds and all.
The Louvre, in fact, was booming: coming off the heels of COVID-19, 7.8 million visitors queued up by I.M. Pei’s famous pyramid in 2022, reflecting a 170% increase from 2021, though attendance was still slightly down from 2019. Consequently, everyone seemed to flock to Paris over the holidays—people were meandering en masse along Rue de Rivoli and snaking by Notre Dame, even in its boarded-up state. Still, I was determined to elbow my way into the big sites. This prompted me to ask a crucial question: how do you bring culture and art alive for a small child—someone more prone to tantrums, bouts of hunger, and jet lag? How do you depart a major European city like Paris feeling like you’ve provided a teachable moment? With a bit of experience under my belt, here are four simple rules to consider, especially if you are eager to experience major attractions.
Visit During Off-Peak Hours
Museums tend to be quieter when they open, become crowded mid-day, and thin out toward the evening. For instance, the stunning Musée Picasso-Paris opens at 10:30 a.m. on weekdays. We purchased advance tickets for an 11 a.m. arrival and entered seamlessly, allowing us to appreciate nearly 300 paintings on display without the stress of crowds. By the time we left, visitors were beginning to throng the major galleries; however, our early bird slot had given us an advantageous start. It’s worth noting that many museums offer extended evening hours, a strategy we leveraged during a summer 2022 trip to the Vatican.
Limit Your Time Indoors to Two Hours or Less
We aimed to explore both the Musée D’Orsay and the Louvre: two major attractions. These vast entities house thousands of pieces in their collections. However, once you accept that you can’t see every corner, it becomes significantly easier to maintain a strict schedule and prevent kids from experiencing burnout. “Two hours or less is paramount,” says Julia Pirrung, founder of Jet Set World Travel, a family travel specialist. If you choose to visit without a guide, encouraging children to research ahead of time will allow them to lead with a map. The more engaged they are beforehand—and the more ownership they feel inside—the more successful the overall experience tends to be.
During our visit to the Louvre, we benefited from having a guide, courtesy of Pierre Donel, the chief concierge at the Hôtel de Crillon, a Rosewood Hotel. He booked us a two-hour “Louvre Express” tour through Mon Petit Paris. This arrangement allowed us to enter at a specific time along with about 15 other travelers, utilize a special group security entrance, and see the major highlights (“Mona Lisa,” “Winged Victory,” “Venus de Milo”) with an English-speaking expert who shared insights on the museum’s history as a medieval fortress and palace. We saved the “Mona Lisa” for last, with my husband Rob lifting Bobby onto his shoulders so he could get a better view of her iconic smile.
Embrace the Unexpected and Smaller Guys
A good concierge or local expert can recommend lesser-known yet worthwhile destinations. “Paris boasts museums dedicated to children, such as the Musée Grévin (Wax Museum), Cité des Sciences, Grande Galerie de l’Evolution, Galerie de Paléontologie, and Musée de l’Illusion,” advises Donel. Although the Musée de l’Orangerie is also frequented by tourists, it became one of Bobby’s favorite stops due to its accessibility; he could appreciate Monet’s “Water Lilies” and other key Impressionist pieces by Renoir and Matisse in under 30 minutes.
Make It Interactive…and Save Time for the Gift Shop
Both Donel and Pirrung recommend incorporating a scavenger hunt element to create an interactive experience. “Kids can discover treasures and solve riddles,” adds Pirrung, who implemented this strategy during a guided visit at the Louvre. We opted for a simpler approach: we asked Bobby to remember three favorite things from each museum and recount them over a family meal. While it may sound trivial, he still recalls that Picasso collected nail and hair clippings! Moreover, if a child starts to whine, an effective way to appease them is with a small toy. Our return trip from Paris included delightful souvenirs (Christmas ornaments, bookmarks, socks, and even a Claude Monet doll) that bring smiles whenever we spot them.
