The Louvre is one of the world’s most famous art museums and stands proudly in the heart of the city. Here, you will immediately be struck by the building’s incredible architecture and, of course, the famous “diamond” placed in its courtyard.
Every year, thousands of visitors come here to discover the museum they learned about in school and, naturally, to see perhaps the most famous painting in the world—the Mona Lisa. A visit here is an absolute must during your time in Paris and well worth your time. It will create lifelong memories for all ages.
Tickets to the Louvre
You can purchase tickets to the museum directly at the ticket office located at the entrance, but keep in mind that the queues can be very long, especially if you are traveling to Paris during the summer. You can also book tickets on the museum’s official website. These ticket prices only include access to the general exhibitions currently on display at the Louvre.
An excellent alternative to this is to book your tickets with Get Your Guide. This ticket includes access to both the permanent and temporary exhibitions. You also get a timed entry that you choose yourself and skip-the-line access to the Louvre.
This means you are guaranteed entry within 30 minutes of your arrival. A big difference compared to the sometimes hours-long queues to visit the Louvre. Book your tickets here
The easiest way to get to the Louvre
There are many easy ways to get to the Louvre, and if you choose the bus, you can take bus 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81, or 95.
Two bus stops are located outside the museum, and it is equally far to the entrance from both. You can choose between Louvre Rivoli and Palais Royal Musée du Louvre, both central and easy lines that take you through all the central parts of Paris.
It is also perfectly fine to choose the metro, the subway, to get to the Louvre. The nearest station is Tuileries. A bus or metro ticket costs 1.90 euros one way, but you can also choose to buy day passes or multi-day passes if you are staying in Paris for several days.
The history of the Louvre
The Louvre, located along the Seine River in Paris, is France’s and the world’s largest and most prestigious art museum. The Louvre houses over 460,000 works of art from all continents and civilizations, from ancient times and antiquity to the end of the 19th century. The building history of the Louvre is long and extensive. It began under Philip II Augustus in 1190, with the construction of a massive tower and a fortress. The tower housed the royal treasury as well as a prison where a number of well-known prisoners were held, among many others.
During the 14th century, the Louvre became a royal residence within the city walls surrounding Paris. Even then, the palace was known for its great art treasures. By the mid-16th century, the palace began to be transformed into a Renaissance building as the architecture and preferences of the time evolved and changed.
From the 16th century to the end of the 19th century, various French rulers have added to or altered the Louvre, which has become something of a national symbol of French power and culture.
The Louvre was made into a museum in 1793 when it was also nationalized so that everyone would have access to the museum. The focus is on Italian and French 16th- and 17th-century art, and the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is the museum’s most famous painting.
What a visitor sees of the Louvre’s art collections is only a fraction of what is housed in the buildings. Due to space constraints, many art treasures have been stored or placed in smaller museums for decades. The Louvre is one of the most visited museums in the world, with around 10 million visitors annually.
What you shouldn’t miss at the Louvre
The Louvre is a unique experience and gives you a fantastic insight into European and French cultural history. Therefore, a visit here is well worth your time, and it always pays to plan your visit before you arrive. There is much to see and experience, and below you will find tips on what you absolutely must not miss during your visit.
Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci, is perhaps the world’s most famous painting. It was painted in 1503, and her shy smile and cautious nature are something da Vinci has captured in an incredible way.
This is an absolute must for anyone visiting the Louvre, and it is well worth it even if you always have to expect that you are not the only one who wants to see this small, fantastic painting in person. A recommendation is to come either later in the afternoon or in the evening mid-week if you want a bit more space.
Venus de Milo
This marble sculpture by Alexandros of Antioch is a world-famous sculpture that you must not miss during your visit. Art historians all agree that it is something of a mystery, and it is believed to date back to as early as 100 BC. It is thought that the sculpture is intended to resemble Aphrodite, a goddess worshipped by the inhabitants of the island of Melos (Milos today). It is also believed that it may be a copy of an even earlier sculpture.
Liberty Leading the People
This painting from 1830 is one of the newer works considered a must-see on the Louvre’s list. It was painted by Eugene Delacroix, and the work depicts the French Revolution and the overthrow of Charles X during the “Three Glorious Days” (July 27-29, 1830) of the Parisian uprising.
The focus of the work, the naked lady Liberty, holds the French flag in one hand and a pistol in the other. The painting uses untamed brushstrokes and bold colors to truly expose how the monarchy disappeared in a dramatic way.
Guided tours and other experiences at the Louvre
It is possible to book a guided tour of the Louvre’s various exhibitions, where a trained guide tells you more about everything there is to know behind the artworks and sculptures you see here. However, such a tour must be booked, sometimes well in advance, to secure a spot. If you instead choose Get Your Guide for your ticket, you can move around the museum as you wish and have the freedom to learn more on your own.
Also, take the time to stop outside to admire both the pyramid and perhaps take a photo or two, as well as the building from the outside. This is well worth your time and an important part of your experience.
Opening hours at the Louvre
The museum’s opening hours are: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday: 9:00 AM–6:00 PM; Friday: 9:00 AM–9:45 PM; Tuesday: Closed. Some exceptions may occur during special celebrations or holidays, in which case this is announced directly on the museum’s official website.
Good to know before your visit
With Get Your Guide, you can arrive 30 minutes before or up to 30 minutes after your booked time. The last entry to the museum is always one hour before closing to ensure you have time to see the most important things if you arrive late in the day.
Some rooms may be temporarily closed, but this is usually announced on the website in advance. However, this may not always be the case for the lesser-known rooms, so you must always be prepared for not everything being open to the public on the day you are there.
All visitors must bring an ID card or passport. Visitors under 18 must also have a booked ticket, even if it is free. You can easily add children to your booking when booking with Get Your Guide.
The museum is accessible for those with mobility challenges. Note, however, that it may be good to arrive early if you need this, especially if you are in Paris during peak season. Borrowing strollers and wheelchairs is possible.
Also read: Paris: Musée d’Orsay
The Louvre is the world’s most iconic art museum
The Louvre is the world’s most famous art museum and an absolute must during your time in France. Both locals and tourists flock here to experience one of the most important works in art history in an incredible location. Take the opportunity to book your ticket so you don’t miss this when you are in the city.
You will not regret your visit and will most likely want to return the next time you visit Paris. At the Louvre, there is always something new to discover, and it is not the same experience every time.
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