Introduction:
As museums go, the Louvre in Paris is quite simply a mammoth. The word "museum" may even be unfitting when it comes to the Louvre: the collections are so vast, diverse, and breathtaking that visitors may have the impression of navigating a maze of distinct artistic and cultural worlds.
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, slowly evolving toward its status as 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 thematic departments and 35,000 pieces of artwork dating from the antiquity to the early modern period, the Louvre's permanent collection includes masterpieces by European masters such as Da Vinci, Delacroix, Vermeer, and Rubens, as well as unsurpassed Greco-Roman, Egyptian, or Islamic arts collections. Frequent temporary exhibits often highlight particular artists or movements, and are almost always worthwhile.
Louvre Museum 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)
Bus: 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
Nearby Sights and Attractions:
- Jardin des Tuileries
- Musée d'Orsay (Orsay Museum)
- Designer Shopping in the Rue Saint-Honoré district
Louvre Museum Opening Hours:
Open Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, 9 am-6 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday 9 am-10 p.m. Admission is free for all on the first Sunday of each month.
The museum is closed Tuesdays and on the following dates:
- January 1st
- May 1st
- May 8th
- December 25th
For more detailed information on opening hours for current exhibits or events at the Louvre, consult this page.
Admission:
For up-to-date details on admission fees to the Louvre Museum, consult this page at the official Musee du Louvre site.Louvre Museum Tours:
Guided tours of the Louvre are available for individuals and groups and can make a visit to the museum degrees 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 and make 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
Louvre Museum Accessibility:
The Louvre is generally recognized as being adequately accessible to visitors with physical disabilities. Visitors with 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.Shopping and Dining at the Louvre:
- The museum itself features 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 offers snacks and casual meals. Open from 9:30 am 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 am to 5:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. during evening openings).
- 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.
- For books and gifts, head to the Louvre bookshop in the "Hall Napoleon" under the Pyramid. The bookshop boasts France's largest selection of art history titles, in addition to a wide range of guidebooks in various languages, childrens' books, and engravings. Open from 9:30 am 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 and accessible via the Rue de Rivoli entrance. Open 7 days a week, the Carrousel du Louvre offers designer fashion, home design shops, fine gifts, and other shops you'd expect to find in an upscale shopping center. An extensive upstairs food court is a notch more gourmet-- and also a notch more costly-- than standard mall counterparts.
