Summary
The Louvre: A Mammoth of Art and Culture
Housed in the Palais du Louvre (Louvre Palace), the former seat of French royalty, the Louvre emerged in the 12th century as a medieval fortress, gradually evolving into a public arts museum during the French Revolution in the late 18th century. Since then, it has become the globe’s most-visited museum, and an enduring symbol of French excellence in the arts.
Spanning eight major thematic departments and 35,000 works of art dating from Antiquity to the early modern period, the museum’s permanent collection includes masterpieces by European masters such as Da Vinci, Delacroix, Vermeer, and Rubens, as well as unsurpassed Greco-Roman, Egyptian, and Islamic arts collections. Additionally, frequent temporary exhibits often highlight particular artists or movements, and are almost always worthwhile.
Location and Contact Information:
General Access (individuals without tickets): Musée du Louvre, 1st arrondissement— Porte des Lions, Galerie du Carrousel, or Pyramid entrances
Metro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre (Line 1)
Buses: Lines 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81, 95, and the Paris Open Tour bus all stop in front of the glass pyramid (the main entrance to the museum.)
Information on the Web: Visit the Louvre’s official website
Sights and Attractions Nearby:
- Jardin des Tuileries
- Musée d’Orsay (Orsay Museum)
- Musee des Arts Decoratifs (Decorative Arts Museum)
- Designer Shopping in the Rue Saint-Honoré district
Opening Hours:
Open Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m.-9:45 p.m. Admission is free for all on the first Saturday of each month from 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.
The museum is closed Tuesdays and on the following dates:
- Jan. 1.
- May 1.
- Dec. 25.
For more detailed information on opening hours for current exhibits or events at the Louvre, consult this page.
Admission/Tickets:
For up-to-date details on admission fees to the Louvre Museum, consult this page at the official Musée du Louvre site.
The Paris Museum Pass includes admission to the Louvre.
Louvre Museum Tours:
Guided tours of the Louvre are available for individuals and groups. These tours can make a visit to the museum significantly less overwhelming. Find out more about Louvre museum tours on this page.
Collections, Exhibits and Events at the Louvre:
The following guides will help you navigate the Louvre museum’s collections and exhibits, assisting you in making choices about what you’d like to see ahead of your next visit:
- Louvre Museum Permanent Collections Guide
- Information on temporary exhibits at the Louvre
- Special Events at the Louvre
Accessibility & Services for Visitors With Limited Mobility
The Louvre is generally recognized as being adequately accessible to visitors with physical disabilities. Visitors using wheelchairs have priority access to the museum’s main entrance at the pyramid and do not have to wait in line. Wheelchairs may also be rented free of charge at the museum’s information desk (an identification card will be required as a deposit). Visitors with guide dogs, tip canes, and other aids have full access to the collections.
- Find more information on Louvre accessibility (scroll to the bottom of the page)
Visitor Tips and Advice Ahead of Your Visit:
To enhance your visit, consider planning ahead. It’s essential to know how to avoid burnout and to maximize your experience. Acquaint yourself with the museum’s collections at a comfortable and enjoyable pace; therefore, you can absorb more details. Remember, less really can be more!
Shopping and Dining:
The museum houses several restaurants and snack bars in addition to a cafeteria:
- Just below the Pyramid, the restaurant Le Grand Louvre offers gourmet specialties in a classic setting. Open from 12 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays.
- On the lower ground floor, the Cafe Denon provides snacks and casual meals. Open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. during evening openings).
- On the second floor (European “first floor”), the Cafe Richelieu offers more casual dining possibilities: sandwiches, salads, cold and hot drinks, etc. Open from 10:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. during evening openings).
- For souvenirs and gifts, the Louvre bookshop in the “Hall Napoleon” under the Pyramid boasts a large selection of art history titles, guidebooks in various languages, children’s books, and engravings. Open from 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (closes at 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday).
- The Carrousel du Louvre is a popular shopping center housed within the Louvre palace. Open seven days a week, it offers designer fashion, home design shops, fine gifts, and more. An extensive upstairs food court is a notch more gourmet—and consequently, a bit more costly—than standard mall counterparts.
