Louvre Museum

Word from curator

Catherine

Paris expert

20+ destinations visited

18 curated trips

The Louvre Museum is the world's largest art museum and a historic monument of France. It's a former royal palace, with a history that dates back to the 12th century, but it was opened as a public museum in 1793.

The museum is home to a staggering collection of more than 380,000 objects, with about 35,000 artworks on display spread over three wings: Denon, Sully, and Richelieu. These artworks span 9,000 years of history and include masterpieces from diverse cultures around the world.

Regardless of how much you appreciate art, navigating the halls of this museum is a unique experience in itself, so we strongly recommend to give it a try.

Key highlights of the Louvre Museum include:

• Mona Lisa — Leonardo da Vinci's enigmatic masterpiece is arguably the most famous painting in the world.

• Venus de Milo — This ancient Greek statue, dating from about 100 BC, is celebrated for its beauty and is a prime example of Hellenistic art.

• Winged Victory of Samothrace — This impressive 2nd-century BC marble sculpture is celebrated for its depiction of the Greek goddess Nike.

• Egyptian Antiquities — An extensive collection that offers a deep dive into ancient Egyptian civilization.

• Near Eastern Antiquities — These exhibits include ancient artifacts from the Near East, such as Mesopotamia, Persia, and the Levant.

The increase chances of a pleasant experience, the tips are pretty much the same: book online tickets in advance, visit early in the morning or on a weekday to avoid crowds, use audio-guide, and if you are truly interested in arts — plan ahead how you want to navigate this extensive collection because you can't see it all.