Louvre Museum, Art museum in Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, France.
Description
This national museum extends along the Seine across three wings with galleries on multiple floors. The collection holds over 380,000 artworks divided into eight departments, including Egyptian antiquities, Greek sculptures, and European paintings, with exhibition rooms displaying objects from ancient civilizations through the mid-1800s.
History
A medieval fortress occupied this site before the building became a royal residence starting in 1546 under Francis I. After the French Revolution, authorities opened it as a public museum in 1793, with several expansions during the 1800s and 1900s incorporating neighboring structures.
Culture
Visitors come here to see works they first encountered in textbooks or documentaries, standing face to face with the originals. School groups move through the halls with worksheets, while others sit on the floor sketching or simply spend long moments in front of a single painting.
Practical
The building opens Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9 AM to 6 PM, with extended hours until 9:45 PM on Wednesday and Friday, and tickets can be purchased online to reduce wait times. Metro stations Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre and Louvre-Rivoli are nearby, wheelchair access is available, and morning or evening visits often mean fewer people in the main galleries.
Did you know?
The glass pyramid entrance designed by architect I. M. Pei opened in 1989 and leads into an underground complex beneath Cour Napoléon. The structure consists of 603 rhombus-shaped glass segments and 70 triangular segments forming a complex geometric pattern.
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide. Discover all places nearby (Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois).
Paris houses several museums dedicated to Asian art. The Musée Guimet holds one of the most significant collections outside Asia, featuring works from India, China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. The collection includes Buddhist sculptures from Afghanistan, Chinese bronzes, Japanese woodblock...
Paris combines historic architecture with cultural institutions in ways that have drawn couples for generations. The city offers a mix of 19th-century parklands, bridges spanning the Seine, and street cafes that invite lingering. From the galleries of the Louvre to the cobbled paths of Montmartre,...
Circular architecture has fascinated builders since ancient times. This collection brings together Roman amphitheatres like the Colosseum, medieval towers such as the Round Tower in Copenhagen, baroque domed structures and modern constructions. The circular form offers practical advantages for...
This route covers two millennia of Parisian construction history, showing the architectural layers of the city. It includes Roman remains such as the first-century Lutetia arenas, medieval structures, classical palaces, and modern constructions from the 19th and 20th centuries. Each location...
Paris offers many options for families with children, from large amusement parks to interactive museums. Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée features two themed parks focused on Disney characters, while Parc Astérix in Plailly offers roller coasters and shows inspired by Gaulish culture. In the...
Venus de Milo
166 m
Winged Victory of Samothrace
136 m
Louvre Pyramid
13 m
Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss
189 m
Louvre Palace
10 m
Arc de triomphe du Carrousel
232 m
La Pyramide Inversée
131 m
Regent Diamond
140 m
Carrousel du Louvre
200 m
Cour Carrée
216 m
Oratoire du Louvre
311 m
Louvre Colonnade
298 m
Pont du Carrousel
286 m
Hommes illustres
66 m
Aile Lescot
156 m
Napoleon III Apartments
133 m
The Flight into Egypt
7 m
Grande Galerie
174 m
Place du Palais-Royal
166 m
Fontainebleau Nymph
151 m
Carrousel Garden
294 m
Tunnel des Tuileries
181 m
Bust of Cardinal Richelieu
41 m
Pavillon du Roi
168 m
Quai François-Mitterrand
175 m
Medieval Louvre
191 m
La Baigneuse aux bras levés
298 m
Aile de Flore
304 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
From secret cafés to breathtaking viewpoints, skip the crowded tourist spots and find places that match your style. Our app makes it easy with voice search, smart filtering, route optimization, and insider tips from travelers worldwide. Download now for the complete mobile experience.
A unique approach to discovering new places❞
— Le Figaro
All the places worth exploring❞
— France Info
A tailor-made excursion in just a few clicks❞
— 20 Minutes