Louvre Museum
Musée du Louvre
The most-visited museum in the world, with about 35,000 works spanning ancient civilisations to the 19th century. The Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace are the three must-sees.
The Louvre began as a 12th-century fortress and later became the French royal palace. After the Revolution of 1793, it became a public museum. Its galleries stretch about 15 km, displaying around 35,000 works, and it receives nearly 9 million visitors a year, making it the most-visited museum in the world. The glass pyramid designed by I. M. Pei (1989) is the main entrance and a landmark.
The collections are divided into three wings: Richelieu, Sully and Denon. The must-see list includes: in the Denon wing, the Mona Lisa (Room 711, where you may queue for 10 to 20 minutes for a close look), The Coronation of Napoleon, Liberty Leading the People, The Raft of the Medusa and the Italian painting gallery; in the Sully wing, the Venus de Milo, the Egyptian galleries and the medieval castle foundations; the Winged Victory of Samothrace at the top of the Denon staircase; and in the Richelieu wing, the Code of Hammurabi, Napoleon III's apartments and the French sculpture courtyard.
Tickets cost €22 and must be booked for a timed slot on the official website, as almost no tickets are sold on site. Visitors under 18 enter free, and so does everyone on the first Friday of each month from 6 p.m. (October to March). It's best to book the 9 a.m. opening or a Wednesday or Friday evening slot. Entering through the Carrousel du Louvre or the Porte des Lions has shorter queues. Head straight for the Mona Lisa, then explore by interest. Plan about 3 hours for the highlights, as you can't see the whole museum in one day. The official app offers Chinese-language audio guides.
Getting there: take Metro Line 1 or 7 to Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre station. Nearby, you can stroll through the Tuileries Garden, visit the Musée de l'Orangerie (Monet's Water Lilies) and see the Palais-Royal.
Note: photography without flash is allowed inside, but large luggage is not permitted. The Louvre plans to open a new entrance and a dedicated Mona Lisa gallery around 2031, and ticket prices may change at that time.
Opening hours
9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (until 9:00 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays; closed Tuesdays)
Nearby sights
- Musée d'Orsay
- Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection
- Tuileries Garden & Place de la Concorde
- Sainte-Chapelle
- Palais Garnier
- Latin Quarter & Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- Galeries Lafayette Haussmann
- Musée de l'Orangerie