The Louvre Museum is certainly one of the most popular museums in the World . It is also one of the main cultural attractions in Paris. Of course, it’s mainly famous for the Mona Lisa but there are many other masterpieces that find their home there. The very rich collections of Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities also attract many people to the Louvre. These are located within the magnificent Palais du Louvre, a former royal residence. Read our guide to visit the Louvre museum
Below, you’ll find all the information you need for a successful visit to the Louvre, including opening times, prices and details of the various collections, the current exhibitions and how to avoid the long queues when you buy a fast track ticket.
The Louvre Museum is open. Reservation is highly recommended .
THE LOUVRE MUSEUM OPENING HOURS
The Louvre Museum is open to the public every day of the week except Tuesdays.
On Wednesday and Friday evenings. The Louvre has extended opening hours.
Find below the Louvre opening hours and days:
- Mondays: Open 9.00 am to 6.00pm
- Tuesdays: Closed
- Wednesdays: Open 9.00am to 9.45pm (evening opening)
- Thursdays: Open 9.00am to 6.00pm
- Fridays: Open 9.00am to 9.45pm (evening opening)
- Saturdays: Open 9.00am to 6.00pm
- Sundays: Open 9.00am to 6.00pm
Visitors are asked to leave either at 5.30pm or 9.30 pm for evening opening.
LOUVRE MUSEUM PRICES & TICKETS in 2026
You can either buy your ticket when you turn up at the door (waiting times are potentially very long) or purchase a fast track ticket. Admission is free for young people under 18 and under 26 for EU citizens. Please find complete info about the Louvre ticket price for 2026:
Entry ticket prices:
- For European Residents: €22 + €3 booking fee
- For Non European : €32 + €3 booking fee
- Guided visit + Mona Lisa access: form €65
- with this ticket:
- fast track access
- skip the long line
- access to all the collection
- access to temporary exhibitions
- best online price
Admission is free on the first Sunday of the month between November and March, as well as on 14th July. However, you need to be aware that these days attract very large crowds.
There is only one price for the Louvre Museum.
>more info about prices & tickets
BUSY TIMES AT THE LOUVRE MUSEUM
Every day, many people flock to the Louvre. The afternoons are very busy. The lines can be very long in Louvre Museum, with around 2-3 hours of queuing and even more so at the weekends. Long queues build up in the mornings from 11.00am on Saturdays and Sundays. These are clearly the busy times in the Louvre Museum.
If you’re an early riser, you can beat the long queues on Mondays and Thursdays by arriving between 9.00am to 10.30am.
Buy a fast track ticket for the Louvre from cometoparis and beat the queues, with easy access. You can buy this ticket online. All you then need to do is turn up at the Louvre with your voucher.
Also, if you’re with people who benefit from free access (children, young people under 26 or teachers), they can go in with you and avoid the queues.
This is the best way to avoid long queues! We tried it out and were completely happy!
YOUR VISIT TO THE LOUVRE MUSEUM: COLLECTIONS & MASTERPIECES
The Louvre Museum was founded in 1793 at the time of the Revolution and is located in the Royal Palace of the Louvre, bearing the name The Central Arts Museum of the Republic. It’s the largest museum in the world, with over 72,000 m2 of exhibition space.
Famous Paintings
- Mona Lisa (Leonardo da Vinci) – the museum’s ultimate icon, famous for her enigmatic smile.
- The Wedding Feast at Cana (Paolo Veronese) – a gigantic and colorful canvas, facing the Mona Lisa.
- Liberty Leading the People (Eugène Delacroix) – an allegory of the 1830 Revolution.
- The Raft of the Medusa (Théodore Géricault) – a monumental and dramatic painting.
- The Lacemaker (Johannes Vermeer) – a small, delicate masterpiece by the Dutch master.
Major Sculptures
- Venus de Milo – famous Greek statue, symbol of classical beauty.
- Winged Victory of Samothrace – majestic Hellenistic sculpture at the top of the Daru staircase.
- The Slaves by Michelangelo – unfinished works showing the artist’s expressive power.
- Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss (Antonio Canova) – a neoclassical sculpture full of tenderness.
Egyptian and Oriental Antiquities
- The Code of Hammurabi – one of the oldest known law texts, carved on a basalt stele.
- The Seated Scribe – Egyptian sculpture with strikingly realistic eyes.
- The Egyptian Antiquities Gallery – sarcophagi, statues, and funerary objects.
Decorative Arts and Other Highlights
- The Imperial Crown of Louis XV – jewel of royal goldsmithing.
- Napoleon III Apartments – sumptuous décor of the Second Empire.
- The Apollo Gallery – architectural masterpiece housing the French Crown Jewels.
The Louvre is famous for hosting many ancient masterpieces, as well as classical and modern paintings. You’ll be able to see many artworks like the Mona Lisa by Da Vinci, Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix, the Raft of the Medusa by Géricault, the Wedding of Cana by Veronese, the Venus de Milo (from Greek antiquity), The Seated Scribe (from Egyptian times) …
PAINTINGS at the Louvre Museum
Denon Wing – 1st Floor: Italian, Spanish and French Paintings
In the Denon wing on the 1st floor, you’ll find a collection of Italian paintings, with masterpieces by Caravaggio, Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci.
The Mona Lisa is located at the 1st floor of the Denon wing in the room 711.
You’ll also find famous French paintings like the Raft of the Medusa by Géricault, Liberty Guiding the People and The Death of Sardanapalus by Eugène Delacroix.
Still in the Denon Wing on level 1, you can admire paintings by Spanish masters like Goya or El Greco and works by British and American artists like Lawrence or West.
Paintings of particular interest in the Denon wing include very large French artworks
Richelieu – level 2, French, Dutch and Northern Europe Paintings
On level 2 in the Richelieu and Sully wings, you’ll find paintings by Poussin, Watteau, Corot and Fragonard, among others.
The Richelieu wing on level 2 is also home to a collection of Northern European Paintings like Rembrandt, Van Eyck, Rubens …
Do you love paintings? Take a look at our Orsay Museum guide.
SCULPTURE
You’ll find French sculpture exhibitions on levels -1 and 0 in the Richelieu wing. The collection covers a period from the Middle Ages to Romanticism and features works by Goujon, Pigalle and Houdon.
Also, in the Denon wing on levels -1 and 0, you’ll find sculptures by European artists like Donatello, Bernini or Michelangelo.
GREEK, ETRUSCAN AND ROMAN ANTIQUITIES
A large part of the Denon and Sully wings is home to Southern European Antiquities, with objects from daily life, as well as works of art from Greek and Roman civilizations right through the Italic and Etruscan civilizations.
Some works enjoy worldwide renown such as the Venus de Milo.
There are also many sculptures of Roman emperors, which are very well preserved.
Roman sculpture at the Louvre Museum
EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES at the Louvre Museum
Anyone interested in Egyptology will find the Louvre particularly fascinating. A large part of the Sully wing is devoted to Egyptian antiquities (4000 to 30 BC) and you’ll find ceramics, sarcophagi and mummies.
On level 1, there are many antiquities displayed in chronological order, while level 0 has a more general exhibition of civilization.
Are you interested in visiting several museums? Find out about the Paris Museum Pass.
EASTERN ANTIQUITIES
The Sully and Richelieu wings on Level 0 at the Louvre host a large collection of Oriental antiquities, with objects from the ancient civilisations of Mesopotamia (7500 BC) and Anatolia. You can also admire objects from the Arabian Peninsula (Nabataean vestiges), Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran.
ISLAMIC ART
Go on a chronological journey at the Louvre, starting from the beginning of Islam in the 18th century and including ceramics, carpets, weapons and woodwork …
The Department of Islamic Art opened in 2012 and is now on levels -2 and -1 in the Denon Wing, enjoying considerable success.
>> Buy your fast track ticket for the Louvre Museum
EXHIBITIONS AT THE LOUVRE MUSEUM
Figures of the Fool – From the Middle ages of the Romantics
Oct. 16th 2024 to Feb. 3rd 2025
The “Figures of the Fool – From the Middle Ages to the Romantics” exhibition at the Louvre explores the evolution of the figure of the fool in art and culture. From medieval court jesters to the symbolic representations in Romanticism, the exhibition delves into how this iconic figure has been portrayed across different eras. Featuring works from various mediums—paintings, sculptures, and manuscripts—it highlights the fool’s dual role as both a comic entertainer and a profound social critic, reflecting the complexities of human nature and society.
A New Look at Watteau – An Actor with New lines: Pierrot Known as Gilles
Oct. 16th 2024 to Feb. 3rd 2025
“A New Look at Watteau – An Actor with New Lines: Pierrot Known as Gilles” is a captivating exhibition at the Louvre dedicated to the artistry of Antoine Watteau and his iconic depiction of Pierrot, often referred to as Gilles. This masterpiece, emblematic of the Rococo era, invites viewers to reflect on themes of performance, emotion, and identity. The exhibition not only reexamines the enigmatic figure of Pierrot but also situates Watteau’s work within the broader context of 18th-century theatrical and cultural traditions, shedding light on its timeless appeal and artistic innovation.
Guillon-Léthière – “Born in Guadeloupe”
Nov. 13th 2024 to Feb. 17th 2025
“Guillon-Léthière – ‘Born in Guadeloupe'” is a remarkable exhibition at the Louvre celebrating the life and work of Guillaume Guillon-Léthière, a pioneering artist of mixed heritage born in Guadeloupe. The exhibition highlights his significant contributions to neoclassical art, showcasing his talent for capturing grand historical themes and intimate portraits. It also explores his unique perspective as an artist navigating the intersection of European artistic traditions and his Caribbean origins, offering a nuanced understanding of identity and creativity in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Rediscovering Cimabue: The Origins of Italian Painting
Dates: January 22 – May 12, 2025
This exhibition highlights the work of Cimabue, a 13th-century Florentine painter considered one of the pioneers of Italian painting. Through an exceptional selection of artworks, it explores his crucial role in the evolution of Western art, particularly in the transition from Byzantine art to the Renaissance.
Louvre Couture: Art Objects, Fashion Objects
Dates: January 24 – July 21, 2025
For the first time, the Louvre is dedicating an exhibition to fashion. It brings together artworks from the museum’s collection and contemporary creations by renowned designers. The goal is to illustrate how art history and exceptional craftsmanship continue to inspire modern fashion.
The Experience of Nature: The Arts in Prague at the Court of Rudolf II
Dates: March 19 – June 30, 2025
This exhibition explores the fascinating court of Emperor Rudolf II (1552–1612) in Prague. A passionate patron of art and science, he gathered artists and scholars who contributed to a new vision of nature. The exhibition presents this era through paintings, sculptures, scientific objects, and valuable manuscripts.
Please feel free to come back here and leave a comment after you’ve visited the Louvre.
Are already familiar with the museum? We always appreciate your advice and opinions!
You may also be interested in reading: The Top Museums in Paris.
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