Musée du Louvre

Save
  • Address
    place du Louvre, 1er
  • Show map Close map
  • Phone
    40 20 53 17
  • Email
  • Website
  • Transport
    underground rail: Palais Royal Musée du Louvre
bus: 21, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81, 95
  • Mon, Thu, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 18:00 ; Wed, Fri 09:00 - 21:45

Let us know if these details are incorrect

Lonely Planet review

The Louvre may be the world's greatest art museum - but it's also the one most avoided by visitors to Paris. Daunted by its size and overwhelming richness, many people head to smaller galleries. But if you have even the merest interest in the fruits of human civilisation from antiquity to the 19th century, then visit you must.

The former fortress began its career as a public museum in 1793 with 2500 paintings; now some 30000 are on display. The most famous works from antiquity include the Seated Scribe , the Jewels of Rameses II and the armless duo - the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo . From the Renaissance, don't miss Michelangelo's Slaves , Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and works by Raphael, Botticelli and Titian. French masterpieces of the 19th century include Ingres' La Grande Odalisque , Géricault's The Raft of the Medusa and the work of David and Delacroix.

The Grand Louvre project has rejuvenated the museum with many new and renovated galleries now open to the public. To avoid queues at the pyramid, buy your ticket in advance and/or enter through the underground shopping mall.