Musée du Louvre: discover the artistic and tourist heart of the capital

The Musée du Louvre, one of the capital's must-see museums, promotes French and European culture through its many masterpieces on display, as evidenced by the 8 million visitors a year who come to contemplate the smile of the Mona Lisa or the fervor of Liberty Guiding the People. A place steeped in history, where art has been flourishing for two centuries already, to discover if you're staying in Paris!

The Musée du Louvre, located on the right bank of the Seine, is one of Paris's greatest cultural institutions and a historic landmark of the City of Light. With several million visitors every year, the Musée du Louvre is one of the most visited cultural institutions in the city, and in the world. A veritable landmark of artistic and cultural history, its grandeur and diversity make it a must-see for tourists and art enthusiasts the world over. But before it was a museum, this gigantic palace of over 350,000m2 was a place to live, and more particularly the home of the kings of France.

A little history...

Originally a fortified castle built by King Philippe Auguste in 1190, it was in 1546 that François I decided to demolish the old fortress and turn it into a Renaissance-style residence, designed by Pierre Lescot. Work continued during the reigns of Henri II and Charles IX, untilHenri IV decided in 1594 to unite the Louvre with the Palais des Tuileries, built by Catherine de Médicis.

Work and refurbishment came to an abrupt halt in 1678, when Louis XIV chose Versailles as the court residence. It wasn't until 1793 that the Louvre became a museum - the Central Museum of the Arts of the Republic, to be precise. Since then, it has housed an entire collection of works of art, from painting and sculpture to furniture and the decorative arts.

The Louvre and its masterpieces...

If you have the opportunity to visit the Louvre, note that the museum is divided into eight major departments: Egyptian Antiquities, Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities, Oriental Antiquities, Islamic Arts, Paintings, Sculptures, Works of Art and Graphic Arts. Among its most famous works are Veronese's Marriage at Cana, the Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo, the Seated Scribe, the Code of Hammurabi, Delacroix's Liberty Guiding the People and Géricault's Raft of the Medusa.

But it is perhaps the department of Italian paintings that is the most popular - or at least the most visited - with tourists. Among its masterpieces, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa naturally holds a special place. This fascinating painting, shrouded in mystery and legend, is undoubtedly the museum's most famous and coveted work. With its enigmatic smile, it attracts thousands of visitors every day, eager to contemplate this Renaissance marvel.

By contrast, the iconic glass-clad Pyramide du Louvre, built by Chinese-American architect Leoh Ming Pei, was inaugurated by President François Mitterrand in 1989 and echoes theObelisk de la Concorde, a gift from Egypt to France in 1830.

Visiting the Louvre: best practices!

If you want to visit the Louvre, plan ahead. The best time to avoid the crowds is early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The museum is open every day except Tuesday, and admission is free on the first Sunday of every month. Don't forget to visit the official website for more details and to book your tickets online, to ensure the best possible experience.

Good to know: the museum is so vast that if a visitor wished to contemplate all the works on display and spent 30 seconds in front of each one, it would take 100 years to visit the entire museum. A little too long for a stay, but a very good excuse to come back and visit one of the capital's most beautiful museums. So, shall we buy a ticket?

News from the Musée du Louvre :

Louvre Museum: Extended evening hours added during the holiday season
Take advantage of additional evening openings to explore the Louvre Museum this holiday season in Paris, from December 22, 2025, to January 3, 2026. [Read more]

Gallery of the Five Continents: opening of a new exhibition space at the Louvre Museum
From December 3, 2025, the Gallery of the Five Continents will be open to visitors at the Louvre Museum, offering an opportunity to admire works from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, in a journey that reveals the diversity and dialogue of human creativity across the globe. [Read more]

Louvre Museum: sharp increase in admission fees for foreign visitors starting in 2026
The Louvre is preparing to review its pricing policy with a significant increase in admission prices for visitors from outside Europe starting in January 2026. This decision was made by the government at a time when the museum is reaching historic visitor numbers and preparing new projects. [Read more]

Louvre Museum: free evening opening on Friday, December 5, 2025, the first Friday of the month
This is a great deal that we can take advantage of at the beginning of every month: the Louvre Museum opens its doors free of charge to all visitors on the first Friday of each month after 6 p.m. The next date to remember is December 5, 2025. [Read more]

Travel through the centuries at the Louvre: we tested the virtual reality experience
Step back in time at the foot of the Louvre thanks to a unique virtual reality tour. An immersive journey, combining historical reconstructions, guided tours and sensory experiences, to (re)discover the Louvre like never before. We've got a promo code for you! [Read more]

La Fabrique de la Galerie Farnèse: the exhibition that reproduces a masterpiece at the Musée du Louvre
Plunge into the heart of the Farnese Palace and its exceptional frescoes from November 5, 2025 to February 2, 2026, with the Musée du Louvre exhibition featuring a reproduction of this masterpiece. [Read more]

Jacques-Louis David at the Louvre: the must-see exhibition on the neoclassical painter
To mark the 200th anniversary of Jacques-Louis David's death, the Musée du Louvre is staging an exceptional exhibition, Jacques-Louis David, from October 15, 2025 to January 26, 2026. A plunge into the world of the great neoclassical painter, between art, politics and modernity. [Read more]

Draw me a masterpiece: discover the new season of family shows at the Musée du Louvre
The Musée du Louvre's educational and musical show is back: discover the new season of Dessine-moi un chef d'œuvre, the family show that turns art into a game. [Read more]

The Louvre Museum in music: concerts at the heart of the Paris museum
What if your next concert was held in one of Paris's most famous museums? The Louvre regularly organizes musical events. Find out more about the big musical events coming up. [Read more]

What to do with children at the Louvre? Activities and visits for the whole family
It's the most visited museum in the world, and we're lucky enough to be able to count it among Paris's cultural highlights: the Musée du Louvre. For families, the program is particularly diverse: we take stock before your visit. [Read more]

The restored Moulins Triptych on display at the Musée du Louvre
Jean Hey's Moulins Triptych, a masterpiece of French painting, is presented at the Musée du Louvre after an unprecedented restoration from November 26, 2025 to March 4, 2026. [Read more]

The Louvre by night: two evenings of art every Wednesday and Friday!
In your busy week, treat yourself to a moment of magic: the Musée du Louvre opens at night every Wednesday and Friday evening. The permanent collections and temporary exhibitions of the world's most beautiful museum await you! [Read more]

Louvre Museum: Must-see masterpieces
The Louvre Museum is one of the most visited museums in the world, and houses some of the most famous works. Here are the must-sees on your next visit. [Read more]

Botticelli: where to see his works in Paris museums?
If you can't make it to the Uffizi in Florence to admire Botticelli's Birth of Venus or Spring, we suggest you discover the artist through other works on display in Paris museums. Let's take a look at the works of this immeasurable artist of the Italian Renaissance! [Read more]