Louvre Museum
The queue outside I.M. Pei's glass pyramid moves faster than it looks, and the moment you step underground into the Cour Napoléon's inverted light, the scale of the place announces itself. The Louvre covers 60,600 square metres across three wings — Denon, Richelieu, Sully — and holds over 35,000 works on display at any given time.
The building itself predates all of it. Walk down to the basement of the Sully wing and you'll find the stone foundations of a medieval fortress, Philip II's original 12th-century keep still standing in the dark. The museum grew around that core across five centuries before a single painting was hung for the public.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to pick one wing and go deep rather than covering ground. The Denon wing on a Wednesday or Friday evening — when the museum stays open until 9 PM — is quieter than any Saturday morning. The Grande Galerie runs nearly 450 metres along the Seine; walk its length once without stopping, then double back to whatever caught your eye.
The story behind Louvre Museum
A fortress stood here from the late 12th century, built under Philip II to anchor Paris's western defences. King Francis I began transforming it into a royal palace in 1546, appointing architect Pierre Lescot to oversee the Renaissance rebuilding. Louis XIII and Louis XIV continued adding to it through the 17th century, with Claude Perrault designing the grand East Colonnade. When Louis XIV moved the court to Versailles in 1682, the palace slowly emptied.
On August 10, 1793 — four years into the Revolution — it opened as the Musée Central des Arts with 537 paintings. Napoleon renamed it the Musée Napoléon, poured in conquered works from across Europe, and appointed Dominique Vivant Denon to organise them. After his fall in 1814, nearly 5,000 works were returned to their countries of origin. The Grand Louvre renovation of the 1980s and 90s, which produced Pei's pyramid (opened May 30, 1989) and reclaimed the former finance ministry wing, was the first time the entire palace was given over entirely to the museum.
Good to know
Take the Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre metro (Lines 1 and 7) directly into the Carrousel entrance underground — it bypasses the pyramid queue entirely. Book a timed slot in advance; tickets are non-refundable. Free entry on the first Friday of each month after 6 PM, except July and August.
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What travellers say about Louvre Museum
First time visiting Paris, and the Louvre Museum was a must-see. The museum is absolutely massive, with incredible art and history around every corner. Seeing the Mona Lisa in person was a memorable experience. Be prepared for large crowds, especially in June. The lines can be long, and many of the popular exhibits are packed with visitors. Buying tickets in advance is highly recommended to save time. Even with the crowds, the Louvre is one of those places you have to visit at least once when in Paris. Plan several hours for your visit, wear comfortable shoes, and enjoy one of the world’s greatest museums.
An unforgettable, bucket-list experience in Paris! Visiting the Louvre was an absolute highlight of my trip to Paris! The sheer scale of the museum is mind-blowing, and the building itself a stunning former royal palace is just as much a masterpiece as the art inside. Looking up at the incredibly ornate, gilded ceilings and walking through the grand galleries felt surreal. Of course, seeing Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa in person was an unforgettable moment. Yes, the room is busy, but the line moves quickly and it is completely worth it. Beyond that, the Winged Victory of Samothrace standing tall at the top of the grand staircase and the beautiful Venus de Milo were absolutely breathtaking. My top tips for anyone visiting: 1. Book your tickets online well in advance to secure your time slot and bypass the massive ticket lines. 2. Wear your most comfortable walking shoes because the museum is massive and you will easily clock in thousands of steps. 3. Pick a few must-see pieces before you go, or you will get easily overwhelmed It is an absolute 5-star experience that you cannot miss when in Paris. Truly a journey through history and art!
I recommend buying tickets in advance and getting an early time slot, especially if you are coming during the summer. I got the audio guide and it was kind of nice but I really struggled to find the room number codes and therefore did not get much use out of it. I really enjoyed the artwork, especially the painting exhibits, but it is REALLY easy to get lost. We ended up doing a lot of walking in circles. Also sometimes you can only go in one direction, like in the room with the Mona Lisa.
The Louvre is not only an incredible museum but also a very large and impressive area to explore. Even outside the museum itself, you can easily spend half a day walking around the beautiful courtyards, the famous glass pyramid, and the surrounding architecture. The entire complex is stunning and offers many great spots for photos and to simply enjoy the atmosphere of Paris. A must-visit place, even if you don’t plan to go inside the museum.
Are you even in Louvre if you don’t get lost every 5 minutes. Amazing piece of history and helps us learn history. There are 3 main wings. See where your favorite exhibits are and keep a note of it. If you wanna make good use of the time. Even 8 hours in the museum wouldnt be enough to see everything you wanna see. Get ready to walk a lot. Top picks: Select paintings and exhibits you want to see and book a ticket well in advance. Also reach the place atleast 30 minutes before your admit time. Enjoy a piece of history and a must do in your first visit to Paris.
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