The Louvre Museum – A Visitors Guide

The Louvre Museum, simply known as, the Louvre, is not only one of the world’s largest museum, it is the world’s most visited museum.

It is easily recognizable from the roadside, the U-shaped structure surrounds the iconic glass pyramid, which serves as the entrance to the Louvre. From the pyramid entrance, the escalators going down will lead you to the main lobby of the museum, where you can buy tickets.

The museum covers four floors with three wings per floor: Denon, Sully and Richelieu. It is huge and it may be quite hard to navigate for tourists and first-timers. Prior to you museum visit, be sure to visit the Louvre website. There you can choose the masterpieces that you want to specifically visit. For those who want to explore on their own, there are visitor trails that you can download from the website, print and bring a copy with you to help you move around the museum. There are also audio guides that you may rent. And for those who don’t want to explore solo, they are offering guided tours in English.

The Louvre Museum walks you through the revolutionaries and royalties that make up the European civilisation and history of France.

The Louvre Museum majestically contains over 35,000 artwork pieces in eight curatorial departments:

• Decorative Arts
• Sculpture
• Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities
• Egyptian Antiquities
• Near Eastern Antiquities
• Islamic Art
• Paintings
• Prints and Drawings

Visiting the Louvre is a dream for most people travelling to Paris. You don’t have to be an artist or an art lover to appreciate the works of art inside. It houses the original masterpieces of world-famous artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. If you are a fan of Greek art, the original statue of Aphrodite, known as the Venus de Milo, is also found inside. Isn’t it reason enough to sneak the Louvre in anyone’s Parisian itinerary?

The luxurious Napoleon III Apartments is also a must-see. The collections of tapestries, ceramics, jewelry and other ornaments are the world’s finest.

The Louvre Paris France is an exquisite museum not only for the art pieces it houses, its ceilings and grand staircases are also a feast to the eyes.

To avoid the queue, book your tickets online in advance. If you are a serial art lover, check out the Paris Museum Pass, which gives free admission (with priority lane passes) to over 60 museums and monuments in and around the city, including the Louvre.

Be warned, two to three hours won’t be enough. Get there early and be sure to wear comfortable shoes if you plan to cover a lot of the museum.

The Louvre Paris France is opened from 09.00 – 18.00 from Wednesday – Monday. It is closed on Tuesdays, and 1st January, 25th December holidays.

There are also cafes, restaurants and take-away outlets located throughout the Louvre to keep your hunger pangs at bay.

The Louvre Museum Paris France in Pop Culture

A scene from the movie The Da Vinci Code was shot in the Louvre. At the bottom of the Glass Pyramid at the entrance to the Louvre is the Pyramide Inversée which is a popular spot for photos among tourists.

 

Reviews

The Louvre Reviews on TripAdvisor