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How To Virtually Tour Paris’ Louvre & See Every Masterpiece

If you’re an art enthusiast, the Louvre is probably at the top of your Paris or museum wish list.

As the world’s largest and most visited museum, it boasts an impressive collection of 35,000 artworks, ranging from the 6th century BC to the 19th century AD, all housed within a magnificent Renaissance palace.

However, as you might imagine, visiting the Louvre can be quite the experience.

It’s often packed with crowds, flashing cameras, selfie sticks, and people bustling around or trying to touch the art. This can make it feel a bit chaotic and overwhelming.

But there’s good news! You can now explore the Louvre from the comfort of your home, avoiding the hustle and bustle.

I’ll guide you through how to virtually visit this iconic museum and view all its must-see masterpieces.

Get ready to enjoy your personal Leonardo or Michelangelo experience in peaceful solitude.

Layout of the Louvre

The Louvre is a U shape, divided into three wings: Denon, Sully, and Richelieu. Each of the wings has four floors.

The Denon Wing is home to the Louvre’s best known art work, including the world’s most famous painting, the Mona Lisa .

The Sully Wing is known for its statuary and antiquities.

The Richelieu Wing houses the lavish apartments of Napoleon III and some famed Dutch art works.

Virtual Tour of Louvre Masterpieces

Let’s take an online virtual tour of the Louvre, wing by wing.

You can see all the must see masterpieces via 360 video tours, YouTube videos, or online tours on the Louvre Website itself. For a lengthy overall YouTube tour of the Louvre, click here .

The Denon Wing

The Denon Wing is the most visited part of the Louvre. It boasts the fabulously ornate Apollo Gallery, with high arches and frescoed ceilings.

It’s a shrine to Sun King Louis XIV. The paintings were begun by Charles Le Brun and completed by Eugene Delacroix.

1. French Paintings in the Denon Wing

The Denon Wing is most renowned for its iconic French paintings from the Neoclassical and Romantic periods of art history. The must see French masterpieces include:

• Eugene Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People
• Jacques-Louis David, The Coronation of Napoleon
• Theodore Gericault, Raft of the Medusa
• Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Grand Odalisque

You can take a virtual tour of the recently restored Apollo Gallery on the Louvre’s website here . You can learn about the Coronation of Napoleon from this Louvre YouTuber .

You can take a virtual video tour of the world’s most famous French painting, Liberty Leading the People here . And learn about the Grand Odalisque here .

Via my blog, you can also explore the Louvre’s underrated masterpieces in the Denon Wing.

I also have a guide to what I think is the best painting in the Louvre , Gericault’s Raft of the Medusa , a then-scandalous painting based on a true story.

2. Italian Paintings in the Denon Wing

The Denon Wing also boasts treasures from the Italian Renaissance.

This is where you’ll find works by Sandro Botticelli , Leonardo da Vinci , Raphael , and Titian. The must see masterpieces include:

• Leonardo Da Vinci, Mona Lisa
• Leonardo Da Vinci, The Virgin and Child With St. Anne
• Titian, Pastoral Concert
• Raphael, Portrait of Baldasarre Castiglione
• Paolo Veronese, The Wedding Feast at Cana

You can take a virtual 360 tour of the Grand Gallery, which houses much of the Louvre’s Italian art.

If you’re a Mona Lisa fan, the Louvre is offering the museum’s first virtual reality experience , which brings to life the story of the enigmatic portrait. You can also take a virtual tour of the Mona Lisa here , with Smarthistory, an artsy YouTube channel.

In the Louvre’s busiest room, the Mona Lisa stares across at Veronese’s massive Wedding Feast at Cana . You can take a virtual tour and get the full scoop on the Louvre’s largest painting here .

You can virtually tour Raphael’s paintings, including Baldasarre , on Google Arts & Culture . Learn about Titian’s Pastoral Concert , which inspired Edouard Monet’s groundbreaking painting Luncheon on the Grass , here .

READ : 3 Day Impressionism Tour of Paris

3. Sculptures in the Denon Wing

If you prefer sculpture to painting, the Denon Wing has one of the world’s most magnificent sculptures — the Winged Victory of Samothrac e.

It also has a room on the ground dedicated to Italian sculpture, the Michelangelo Gallery. It’s one of my favorites spots in the Louvre.

It’s home to Michelangelo’s Dying Slave and Rebellious Slave , from 1513-15. These sculptures seem to struggle to escape the marble.

They were originally intended for the Tomb of Pope Julius II in Rome. But Michelangelo got distracted with the ceiling of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel and could never finish the tomb.

READ : Masterpieces of the Vatican

You can also find Antonio Canova’s incredibly romantic Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss . It’s considered Canova’s master work.

You can take a virtual tour of Michelangelo’s Slaves here , a virtual tour of Canova’s work on Google Arts & Culture , and a virtual tour of Canova’s Psyche here . You can take a virtual 360 tour of the Winged Victory here .

2. The Sully Wing

In the Sully Wing, you’ll find some of the world’s most beautiful sculptures, antiquities, and the remains of the Medieval Louvre.

One of the Louvre’s greatest ladies, a Hellenistic masterpiece, is here — the Venus de Milo . Even without arms, Venus de Milo is considered the classical epitome of female beauty.

You can also see another masterwork, Sleeping Hermaphrodite , a mythological merger of a male and female body. The ancient sculpture was discovered in Rome near the Baths of Diocletian.

Cardinal Scipione Borghese commissioned the Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini to carve the mattress in 1619. He later sold the piece to the French when he was strapped for cash.

READ : The Bernini Trail in Rome

The Egyptian Antiquities are a well loved highlight of the Sully Wing. The collection features the 12 ton Great Sphinx of Tanis, model ships, ancient sculptures, a massive statue of Ramses II, and a sarcophagus room.

The medieval Louvre is also a fascinating place. Originally, the Louvre was a 12th century fortress built by King Philippe Auguste.

The lower levels are all that remain. Archeologists discovered and excavated the underground medieval remains during the construction of I.M. Pei’s pyramid in 1983-85.

You can take a virtual tour of all the Louvre’s Roman Antiquities here , the Venus de Milo here , and the Sleeping Hermaphrodite here . You can take a virtual tour of the famed Egyptian Antiquities here and walk around the Medieval Louvre here .

3. The Richelieu Wing

In Richelieu Wing, you can admire the Louvre’s Mesopotamian Antiquities, Napoleon III’s Second Empire rooms, sculptures, and some amazing Dutch masterpieces.

The Richelieu Wing boasts the spectacular Cour Marly, a spacious glass roofed courtyard.

It’s stuffed with 17th and 18th marble and white stone sculptures, many commissioned by Sun King Louis XIV and Louis XV. There’s also a magnificent Fountain of Diana, dating from 1550.

Perhaps the most famous part of the Richelieu Wing is the Napoleon III apartments. They were built between 1852-57 to accommodate visiting dignitaries. They’re sumptuous.

Crystal chandeliers glitter, gilded furniture gleams, and the ceilings sport beautiful frescos — all set amid red velvet and red drapery. The Rococo state dining room could seat almost 100 people.

You can virtually tour the Cour Puget here and the Cour Marly here . You can take a virtual tour of Napoleon’s Apartments here .

The Richelieu Wing is also home to some unmissable Dutch old master paintings, including:

• Johannes Vermeer, The Lacemaker
• Johannes Vermeer, The Astronomer
• Rembrandt, Bathsheba at Her Bath.
• Hieronymous Bosch, Ship of Fools
• Georges de la Tour, The Cheat with the Ace of Diamonds

From the Louvre’s website, you can see and get an education on The Lacemaker here , Bathsheba here , Ship of Fools here , and The Cheat here .

If you’re a Beyonce fan, her recent music video featured pieces from the Louvre. Now, you can follow the Beyonce Louvre Trail on the Louvre website.

The Louvre is also featuring an Artwork of the Day . If you’re interested in the history of the Louvre, here’s my guide .

Tickets For The Louvre

Naturally, if you decide to visit the Louvre in person, it’s essential to p re-book a skip the line ticket . If you take your art seriously, you may want to  book a guided tour .

I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to taking a virtual tour of the Louvre. You may enjoy these other Paris travel guides:

• 3 day itinerary for Paris
• 3 day art weekend in Paris
• 5 day itinerary for Paris
• Hidden gems in Paris
• Guide to the Latin Quarter
• Guide to Montmartre
• Best museums in Paris
• Monet guide to Paris
• Louvre survival Tips
• Tourist traps to skip in Paris
• Guide to the Musee d’Orsay

If you’d like to take a virtual tour of the Louvre from home, pin it or later.

1 thought on “How To Virtually Tour Paris’ Louvre & See Every Masterpiece”

Good day. I was wondering if you would recommend the Louvre at night . Is there a significant difference in terms of avoiding crowds, the lighting for pics and access to different wings?

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Last Updated on August 17, 2024 by Leslie Livingston

You Can Now Explore the Louvre’s Entire Collection Online

A new digital database features 480,000 works from the Paris museum’s holdings

Nora McGreevy

Correspondent

When cultural institutions around the world were forced to shutter last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic , even the most popular art museum in the world felt the effects. The Louvre , home to such masterpieces as the Mona Lisa , welcomed just 2.7 million visitors in 2020—a 72 percent drop from 2019, when 9.6 million people flocked to the Paris museum.

But even as physical museums remained closed, art enthusiasts continued to seek inspiration in new ways : In that same pandemic year, 21 million people visited the Louvre’s website, according to a statement .

Thanks to a major website redesign and a new online collection database, browsing the historic museum’s holdings from home is easier than ever, reports Alaa Elassar for CNN . For the first time ever, the Louvre’s entire art collection is available to search online. The updated catalogue boasts more than 480,000 entries, from rare items stowed away in storage to the iconic Venus de Milo and Winged Victory of Samothrace . (Though the digital database is free to browse, offerings are not open access , meaning users cannot directly download, share or reuse the images.)

“Today, the Louvre is dusting off its treasures, even the least-known,” says the museum’s president, Jean-Luc Martinez, in the statement. “… [A]nyone can access the entire collection of works from a computer or smartphone for free, whether they are on display in the museum, on loan, even long-term, or in storage.”

Martinez adds, “The Louvre’s stunning cultural heritage is all now just a click away.”

Viewers can also click through an interactive map of the museum, virtually walking through the cavernous halls of the Renaissance castle or the sleek steel-and-glass pyramid designed by American architect I.M. Pei in 1989.

Previously, the public only had access to about 30,000 listings of works in the Louvre’s collections, reports Vincent Noce for the Art Newspaper . Per France24 , more than three-quarters of the entries in the Louvre’s online collection contain images and label information. The museum plans to continue to expand and improve the database in the coming months.

The archive also includes the collections of the Musée National Eugène-Delacroix , which is run by the Louvre, and the nearby Tuileries Garden , as well as a number of Nazi-looted artworks that are in the process of being returned to their original owners’ families.

According to the new online catalogue , about 61,000 works stolen by the Nazis were retrieved from Germany and brought back to France after World War II. Of these works, 45,000 have been returned to their rightful owners. A number of others were sold by the French state. The remaining 2,143 unclaimed works were categorized as National Museum Recovery (MNR) and entrusted to French cultural institutions, including the Louvre, for safekeeping.

Despite the Louvre’s involvement in repatriation efforts, lingering concerns remain that Nazi-looted art may have made its way into the Louvre’s permanent collections during the war. Since hiring curator Emmanuelle Polack to lead a wartime provenance research project in January 2020, the Louvre has checked nearly two-thirds of the 13,943 works it acquired between 1933 and 1945, Martinez tells the Art Newspaper .

In the future, the museum plans to debut the findings of this research project on its website. The director notes that he has instructed curators to conduct a similar investigation of the thousands of artworks in the Louvre’s collections that hail from countries formerly under French control, such as Algeria, Tunisia, Syria and Lebanon.

The goal of this long-term project, he says, will be to identify which items in the Louvre’s encyclopedic collections were obtained through looting or colonial violence.

“Our collections are mostly archaeological and come from digs shared with the countries of origin,” Martinez tells the Art Newspaper , adding that the museum often obtained new archives through “bilateral” legal agreements.

At the same time, Martinez adds, “[M]useums like the Louvre served imperial ambitions and we have to deal with this history.”

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Nora McGreevy | | READ MORE

Nora McGreevy is a former daily correspondent for Smithsonian . She is also a freelance journalist based in Chicago whose work has appeared in Wired , Washingtonian , the Boston Globe , South Bend Tribune , the New York Times and more.

Home > Paris Attractions > Louvre Guide 2024: Best Way to See the Louvre, Louvre Must-See, Map, and Top Louvre Tips by a Local

Louvre Guide 2024: Best Way to See the Louvre, Louvre Must-See, Map, and Top Louvre Tips by a Local

Louvre museum guide.

All about the Louvre: must-see, map of the Louvre entrances, and top tips for planning your Louvre itinerary.

If you ever find yourself in the French capital, don’t miss the Louvre Museum , one of the top things to do in Paris .

Located on the Seine River’s right bank, in the first Arrondissement, the Louvre is one of the world’s largest museums, home to incredible artworks. From Ancient Egypt statues to Baroque portraits, there’s something for everyone in the Louvre!

After visiting the Louvre Museum many times (at least twice a year), I have put together this Guide to the Louvre Museum  to help visitors with the latest information and my most precious Louvre tips. Use this Louvre Guide to decide what to see at the Louvre and plan your Louvre itinerary. Enjoy!

Table of Contents

• Why Visit the Louvre Museum
• Opening Hours and Best Time to Visit the Louvre Museum
• How to Visit the Louvre Museum
• Map of the Louvre Entrances [2024] & Best Louvre Entrance 2024
• A Peek Inside the Louvre (Take a Louvre Map!)
• Best Way to Visit the Louvre
• What to See at the Louvre (Louvre Highlights)
• Other Tips for Visiting the Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum is one of the top sights to visit in Paris. We recommend visiting the Louvre in the following Paris itineraries:

• 2 days in Paris itinerary
• 3 days in Paris itinerary
• 4 days in Paris itinerary
• 5 days in Paris itinerary
• 6 days in Paris itinerary
• 7 days in Paris itinerary

Related Articles

1. Why Visit the Louvre Museum

Haters will tell you to skip the Louvre because it’s expensive and the lines are long. But the 10 million people who visit the Louvre Museum annually are no fools, carried along by clichés. Come to visit and experience this incredible Museum for yourself!

The Louvre Museum is the world’s largest art museum and also the most visited.   The Louvre Museum houses a collection of more than 35,000 works of art spread over 60,000 square meters that range from ancient civilizations from the 6th century BC to the 19th century. If you have minimal interest in the arts, you will find something you like when visiting the Louvre!

Thanks to the Louvre’s Glass Pyramid , designed by the Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei, the Louvre Museum is also one of France’s most iconic monuments and one of Paris’s top photo spots for photographers. When it gets dark, the illuminated Louvre Pyramid is a must-see of Paris at night .

You will find some of the world’s most famous paintings and sculptures in the Louvre. The Mona Lisa , the Venus of Milo , the Code of Hammurabi , the Regent Diamond , and Napoleon I’s Coronation are just a few examples.

The Louvre is also part of the history of France.   The Louvre was built in the 12th century by King Philippe Auguste II as his royal palace. Over the years, the Louvre Palace symbolized the French monarchy’s wealth, power, and decadence, and its rooms and halls are stunning.

2. Opening Hours and Best Time to Visit the Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday to Monday. The last entry is one hour before the closing time, and they start evacuating the rooms at 5.30 p.m.

The Louvre is closed on 1 January, 1 May, and 25 December.

Before the pandemic, the Louvre held night sessions on Wednesday and Friday from 6 p.m. to 9.45 p.m. Currently (2024), the night session is only on Fridays.

2.1 The Louvre is Free for All Visitors on the First Friday of the Month (after 6 p.m.)

The Louvre Museum is free for all visitors on the first Friday of the month, night session (except in July, August, and 14th of July).

Given the interest in visiting the Louvre for free, only online reservations guarantee free entry to the Museum on Friday night. Reservations for the free Louvre Friday nights open a few days before the end of the month. Your booked ticket will cost 0€ and will be valid only on the selected date and time slot.

2.2 Best Day and Best Time to Visit the Louvre

The table below shows the estimated visitor flow in the Louvre Museum, and it is divided into days and time slots for the low season and high season. The  green  colour means fewer visitors while the  red  colour means more crowds. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.

» The best day to visit the Louvre Museum depends on the season (low season or high season). Generally speaking, visiting the Louvre during the week rather than the weekend is a good idea.

»  Since the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays see more visitors. Therefore, the best days to visit the Louvre are Mondays and Thursdays.

» What is the best time to visit the Louvre?  Arrive early in the morning, before the Museum’s opening.

3. How to Visit the Louvre Museum

How to visit the Louvre? While most people opt for a Louvre self-guided tour, a Louvre guided tour (private or with a small group) is an excellent idea if you are visiting the Louvre for the first time. Benefit from the special Louvre entrance for groups, with 0 waiting time, and see the major Louvre highlights with the explanations of a certified and passionate English-speaking guide.

• Priority Entrance Ticket + Small Group Guided Tour
• Priority Entrance Ticket + Private Guided Tour
• Other Louvre Guided Tour Options

If you prefer to visit the Louvre on a self-guided tour, you can buy your Louvre ticket with an audio guide for the best Louvre experience.

3.1 Book Your Louvre Timed Entrance Ticket Online

Due to the current circumstances, the Louvre has reduced the number of daily visitors. This means that there are fewer Louvre tickets to sell each day.

We strongly advise buying your Louvre tickets online in advance , as only online booking can guarantee your entrance to the Museum on a specific day. When you purchase the tickets online, you choose a specific date and time slot, ensuring a quick entry to the Museum in less than 30 minutes.

Visitors entitled to free admission also need to use the online booking system. At the end of the process, the cost will be 0€. This allows the Louvre to fully control the number of daily visitors — Click here to buy your Louvre tickets

3.2 Leave Your Coat and Backpack in the Cloakroom

Under the Glass Pyramid, a Cloakroom provides you with lockers and places for umbrellas free of charge. Remember that suitcases and bulky bags are prohibited. In case of difficulty, you can contact the help desk next door.

4. Map of the Louvre Entrances [2024]

There are five official Louvre entrances, shown on the Louvre Map here below:  Glass Pyramid , Porte des Lions , Carrousel du Louvre , and  Passage Richelieu .

The  Glass Pyramid , Carrousel du Louvre , and  Passage Richelieu are always open, while the Porte des Lions is closed on Fridays.

» The  Glass Pyramid   is the main Louvre entrance, and anybody can use it. It is also the most impressive access to the Louvre.

» Passage Richelieu entrance is for guided groups or visitors with a membership card (Amis du Louvre, Louvre Pro, Ministère de la Culture, Pass Education, ICOM).

» Galerie du Carrousel  (99 Rue de Rivoli) is another entrance to the Louvre Museum that anybody can use. The advantage of this Louvre Museum entrance is the direct access from the Parisian Metro (metro station Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre, line 1, take exit #6). Also, this is the best Louvre entrance to wait in line during rainy days in Paris or when it is too cold outside. 

» Porte des Lions is another option, but it’s a bit eccentric and only available for visitors with a ticket. There’s no Cloakroom nearby, so you will be denied access if you carry bulky objects. Please note this access is closed on Fridays, and sometimes the Museum management closes it without notice.

4.1 Best Louvre Entrance 2024

The best Louvre Entrance is Passage Richelieu , with zero waiting time. This entrance, however, is reserved for guided groups or people with membership cards.

The Louvre Glass Pyramid is the most popular entrance, and you can see long lines in the high season and on weekends. That said, in January 2024, I entered the Museum through the Glass Pyramid with a timed entrance ticket and only had to wait 10 minutes (low season, weekday).

The Carrousel du Louvre entrance is less crowded than the Pyramid, and you avoid the hazards of the weather. Personally, I find it a bit claustrophobic when it is overcrowded.

Porte des Lions can be a good entrance, but it’s a bit hit-and-miss, as sometimes it is closed without any previous notice.

4.2 Entering the Louvre through the Glass Pyramid

The Louvre Glass Pyramid has different lines marked with different colours:

• Yellow line  for visitors with special passes, such as annual visitor cards or tourist cards
• Orange line  for visitors without a pre-purchased ticket
• Green line  for visitors with tickets with a specific time slot
• Blue Line  for disabled visitors, pregnant women, visitors with strollers, or visitors with mobility issues. These visitors have access to the lift down to the Main Hall.

The green line is split into two lines, and each line is for different time slots. Before waiting in line, check that you are in the line for your time slot!

The Louvre Glass Pyramid is the Museum’s main entrance. To access the Louvre Museum through the Pyramid, you will find several controls:

• Before joining the line to access the Museum, there’s a first ticket control to ensure you are on the right day, time slot, and line (picture above).
• Right after entering the Glass Pyramid, you will be asked to use the hand sanitizer, and then, there’s the security control (scanner).

After the scanner, you will take the stairs down to the Main Hall, with the Information Desk, Cloakroom, Visitors’ Assistance Area, one of the restaurants and Paul’s bakery. You can see the entrances to the three different Louvre Wings from the Main Hall: Denon, Sully , and Richelieu . They are located on the Mezzanine.

Choose the Louvre Wing that appeals to you most and take the stairs up to the Mezzanine. Here, you can pick up the audio guides (on the desktop right before the tripods), and there’s the second ticket control. If you are entitled to free admission, you will be asked to show proof of free admission at this moment.

5. A Peek Inside the Louvre (Take a Louvre Map!)

5.1 Louvre Sections

The Art Treasures of the Louvre Museum are grouped into eight curatorial departments or Louvre sections: 

• Egyptian Antiquities
• Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities
• Near Eastern Antiquities
• Islamic Art, Paintings
• Decorative Arts
• Prints and Drawings

5.2 Louvre Layout

The Louvre’s treasures are exhibited in the Museum’s three interconnected Wings: Richelieu Wing , Denon Wing , and Sully Wing, clearly marked on the Louvre map.

In addition to these Wings, the Museum’s inner courtyards display the biggest sculptures.

On the Louvre map, you will find the Denon Wing facing the Seine River. Denon Wing is named after M. Denon (1747-1825), the first director of the Musée du Louvre. In Denon Wing, visitors find important artworks such as the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci or The Winged Victory of Samothrace.

If you want to concentrate on one Louvre Wing only, we suggest the Denon Wing.

The Sully Wing is located between the Denon Wing and the Richelieu Wing and is named after M. Sully (1559-1641), Chief Minister of King Henri IV. In the Sully Wing, visitors can find the Medieval Louvre, the Egyptian Antiquities, and the Venus of Milo.

Richelieu Wing

On the map of the Louvre, you will find the Richelieu Wing facing Rue de Rivoli. The Richelieu Wing is named after Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642), Chief Minister of King Louis XIII. In Richelieu Wing, visitors can find French paintings and sculptures, Napoleon III apartments, and Near Eastern Antiquities.

5.3 Take a Louvre Map (with Highlights)

Taking a map of the Louvre Museum is paramount for visiting the Louvre. You have paper versions (Louvre map with highlights) in the Information Kiosk in the Central Hall, and there are also some QR codes with the Louvre Museum map to flash while you are waiting in line to enter the Glass Pyramid.

The Louvre map comes with the plans of the four floors, and you can find all the Louvre sections by floor and Wings and some of the Louvre highlights.

6. Best Way to See the Louvre

With 403 rooms, 14.5 km of rooms and corridors, and 72.735 m2 of exhibition spaces, visiting the entire Louvre in one day is impossible . If you spent one minute seeing each Louvre artwork, it would take 64 days to see everything in the Museum!

How to navigate the Louvre? There’s no right or wrong Louvre itinerary. You can decide to visit just one Wing, all floors, or walk through the different Louvre Wings. If you return to the Central Hall and then head to another Louvre Wing, you will have to show your Louvre ticket again.

Any exit from the Louvre Museum is final, and you won’t be able to come back with the same ticket.

Five Ways to Visit the Louvre

In our opinion, there are five ways to visit the Louvre:

1- Enter the Museum and start walking through galleries and galleries randomly. This is not the best option in a vast museum like the Louvre.

2- Follow the experts at your own pace with a Louvre Museum audio guide or a phone app. You can buy your skip-the-line Louvre ticket + audio guide online in advance and pick up the audio guide when you arrive at the Museum. Remember to grab the Louvre must-see map at the Main Hall.

3- Join a Louvre guided tour and visit the Louvre highlights with a professional guide. After the tour, you can visit other artworks, but you’ll surely have covered the basics.

4- Write down a Louvre bucket list , study it at home with the help of this Louvre Map , and try to make a Louvre itinerary that makes sense from a logistics point of view to avoid walking unnecessary kilometres.

TIP: Do you need some help for a quick visit? Click here to see how to visit the Louvre in 2 hours or less

5- Pick a specific department (e.g., Italian Paintings) and focus on this department only to get the most out of it. This is my favourite way to visit the Louvre because I am local in Paris and can visit the Louvre whenever I want. This way of touring the Louvre is also perfect for frequent Paris travellers or people interested in a specific subject.

Whatever you decide, grab the Louvre highlights map upon your arrival , take a break from time to time and use the restrooms when you see them (I never find the restrooms when I need them most, lol).

7. What to See at the Louvre (Louvre Highlights)

If you are wondering what to see at the Louvre in one day, we can help. Everybody has a different Louvre must-see list, but some Louvre artworks appear on everybody’s bucket list.

7.1 Louvre Must-See Guide By the Louvre Museum

The Louvre has a selection of masterpieces  that you can check on its website. This is the Louvre best route if you don’t have particular interests and want to cover the basics. There are 11 artworks in total :

• The Caryatids
• Venus de Milo
• Winged Victory of Samothrace
• Venus and the Three Graces Presenting Gifts to a Young Woman (Botticelli)
• La Belle Ferronière (Da Vinci)
• Sainte Anne (Da Vinci)
• Mona Lisa (Da Vinci)
• The Raft of the Medusa (Gérciault)
• Liberty Leading the People (Délacroix)
• The Slaves (Michelangelo)
• Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss (Canova)
• The Glass Pyramid

7.2 Louvre Must-See List by CNN 

To honour the Louvre’s 220th anniversary, CNN asked its users through its Instagram account about the Louvre highlights. Here is the Louvre must-see list by CNN:

• The Winged Victory of Samothrace
• Mona Lisa (Leonardo da Vinci)
• Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss (Canova) is one of the famous Greek Mythology stories.
• The Louvre Building
• The Consecration of Emperor Napoleon and the Coronation of Empress Joséphine on 2 December 1804 (David)
• Venus of Milo
• The Young Martyr (Delaroche) – depicts the sacrifice of a young Christian woman into the Tiber River.
• The Virgin of the Rocks (Da Vinci) – another of Leonardo’s masterworks.
• The Lacemaker (Vermeer) – with this painting, the achievement of Vermeer’s maturity is complete.

7.3 Louvre Highlights (World in Paris’ List)

My Louvre must-see list is a combination of the two lists above plus some other Primitive Italian artworks (Duccio, Cimabue), The Wedding Feast at Cana (Veronese) – sharing the room with the Mona Lisa, – and something by Caravaggio.

On this bucket list, there’s also the oldest exposed item: the statue of Aïn Ghazal , dated around 7000 BC! (Sully Wing, Ground Floor, room #303).

I complete my personal Louvre must-see guide with the most bizarre item exposed, The Hermaphrodite (Sully Wing, Ground Floor Salle des Caryatides #348).

8. Other Tips for Visiting the Louvre Museum

8.1 the louvre ticket is a combined ticket.

Few people know that in addition to the permanent collections and temporary exhibitions of the Louvre, the Louvre ticket gives you to the Musée Eugène Delacroix (6 Rue de Furstenberg, Paris 6) within 48 hours of first use. To visit the Musée Eugène Delacroix for free, you need to purchase and visit the Louvre Museum first.

8.2 Louvre Dress Code: Dress Like an Onion!

What to wear in the Louvre?   There is no Louvre dress code; you can wear what you want when visiting the Louvre. Just keep in mind that you will walk A LOT. Wear comfortable shoes. And dress in layers, like an onion!

Wearing layers is perfect in wintertime, when it is cold outside and warm inside.

8.3 Carry a Power Bank

A power bank is essential if you want to take pictures and navigate the Louvre with your phone all day. The last time I visited, I entered the Louvre at 9.30 a.m., and two hours later, my phone was dead.

Remember that you must show your Louvre ticket whenever you want to access the rooms from the Main Hall, so keeping your phone charged is essential if you have your ticket stored in it. Print out the ticket if you don’t want to carry a power bank.

8.4 Accessibility in the Louvre

The Louvre is accessible to disabled visitors, with various elevators and wheelchair lifts and even a Tactile Gallery. If you have mobility issues, look for the disabled symbols in the Louvre Museum map and adapt your Louvre itinerary accordingly.

At the Glass Pyramid , there’s a line (blue line) for disabled visitors or visitors with mobility issues. These visitors have access to the lift down to the Main Hall.

Walking sticks, folding bags, strollers, baby carriers, and wheelchairs are available free of charge for visitors at the Visitors Assistance Area , located in the Main Hall (level -2), behind the Information Area and next to the Cloakroom. An ID card will be requested as a caution.

8.5 Bring your Snacks and Water

Inside the Louvre are a couple of restaurants, but they are overpriced, and the food is so-so. Bring your snacks, sandwiches, and water if you travel on a budget. There are no restrictions on bringing your refreshments to the Louvre.

Eating inside the Louvre exhibition rooms is forbidden, but there are some benches in the Central Hall (Mezzanine), just before the ticket control, and nobody will bother you if you are eating a sandwich or a snack there.

Once you are done and have some energy back, show your tickets again to return to the exhibition areas. You can drink water wherever you want.

TIP: fans of Angelina Paris tearoom will be happy to know that there is an Angelina inside the Louvre with no line! Angelina Louvre is located in the Richelieu Wing, 1st floor, between the Napoleon III Apartments and Decorative Arts galleries.

8.6 Beware of Pickpockets

I never had any problem when visiting the Louvre, but it seems that pickpockets are an issue in this Museum. Never leave your bag unattended, and if somebody comes to you asking for your email or a donation, ignore him and walk away. It is a scam.

TIP: travel safely; use an anti-theft shoulder bag or an anti-theft backpack

8.7 Visit the Louvre Museum More than Once (If You Can)

If you are interested in the Arts, you will have to revisit the Louvre Museum to enjoy other paintings and sculptures that you missed during the previous visit. Paris is always a good idea , and another visit to the Louvre may be the perfect excuse to come back to Paris 😉

And there you have it, a quick Louvre Museum guide with the best tips for visiting the Louvre Museum. Use these Louvre tips to find your best way to see the Louvre, to get the shortest lines and the best experience inside!

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About WORLD IN PARIS

Quirky parisian explorer with a preference for lesser-known sights, i am continuously looking for new ideas and tips to bring you the best of the city of light read more about me ., i am elisa, the travel blogger behind world in paris. quirky explorer with a preference for the local side of my city and its lesser-known sights, i am continuously looking for new ideas to enjoy the best of paris & around . do you want to go beyond the louvre museum or the eiffel tower keep clicking for first-hand information & my best tips learn more.

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The Louvre’s Entire Collection Goes Online: View and Download 480,00 Works of Art

in Art , Museums | March 29th, 2021 1 Comment

If you go to Paris, many will advise you, you must go to the Lou­vre ; but then, if you go to Paris, as near­ly as many will advise you, you must not go to the Lou­vre. Both rec­om­men­da­tions, of course, had a great deal more rel­e­vance before the glob­al coro­n­avirus pan­dem­ic — at this point in which art- and trav­el-lovers would glad­ly endure the infa­mous­ly tir­ing crowd­ed­ness and size of France’s most famous muse­um. But now they, and every­one else around the world, can view the Lou­ve’s art­works online , and not just the ones cur­rent­ly on dis­play: through the new por­tal collections.louvre.fr , they can now view access every sin­gle one of the muse­um’s art­works online.

“For the first time ever,” says last week’s press release , “the entire Lou­vre col­lec­tion is avail­able online , whether works are on dis­play in the muse­um, on long-term loan in oth­er French insti­tu­tions, or in stor­age.”

This includes, accord­ing to the about page of the col­lec­tions’ site , not just the “more than 480,000 works of art that are part of the nation­al col­lec­tions,” but the “so-called ‘MNR’ works (Musées Nationaux Récupéra­tion, or Nation­al Muse­ums Recov­ery), recov­ered after WWII,” and “works on long-term loan from oth­er French or for­eign insti­tu­tions such as the Bib­lio­thèque Nationale de France, the Musée des Arts Déco­rat­ifs, the Petit Palais, the Fonds Nation­al d’Art Con­tem­po­rain, the British Muse­um and the archae­o­log­i­cal muse­um of Her­ak­lion.”

The mas­ter­pieces of the Lou­vre are all there , from Eugène Delacroix’s   La Lib­erté guidant le peu­ple  and Titian’s La Femme au miroir  to the Vénus de Milo and the Great Sphinx of Tanis . But so are an enor­mous num­ber of less­er-known works like a Gio­van­ni Pao­lo Pani­ni view of the Roman forum , an anony­mous 19th-cen­tu­ry Alger­ian land­scape , Hen­drick de Cler­ck­’s Scène de l’his­toire de Psy­ché (among many oth­er Dutch paint­ings), and a pow­der flask amus­ing­ly engraved with human and ani­mal fig­ures , all of them in search of their right­ful own­ers since their retrieval from a defeat­ed Ger­many. You can also explore the Lou­vre’s online col­lec­tions by type of work:  draw­ings and engrav­ings , sculp­tures , fur­ni­ture , tex­tiles , jew­el­ry and fin­ery , writ­ing and inscrip­tions , objects , and of course paint­ings . In that last cat­e­go­ry you’ll find the  Mona Lisa , view­able more clear­ly than most of us ever have at the phys­i­cal Lou­vre — and down­load­able at that. Enter the col­lec­tion here .

If you would like to sign up for Open Culture’s free email newslet­ter,  please find it here . Or fol­low our posts on Threads , Face­book , BlueSky or Mastodon .

If you would like to sup­port the mis­sion of Open Cul­ture, con­sid­er mak­ing a dona­tion to our site . It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your con­tri­bu­tions will help us con­tin­ue pro­vid­ing the best free cul­tur­al and edu­ca­tion­al mate­ri­als to learn­ers every­where. You can con­tribute through Pay­Pal , Patre­on , and Ven­mo (@openculture). Thanks!

Relat­ed Con­tent:

Free Art & Art His­to­ry Cours­es

Take a Long Vir­tu­al Tour of the Lou­vre in Three High-Def­i­n­i­tion Videos

14 Paris Muse­ums Put 300,000 Works of Art Online: Down­load Clas­sics by Mon­et, Cézanne & More

When Pablo Picas­so and Guil­laume Apol­li­naire Were Accused of Steal­ing the Mona Lisa (1911)

Based in Seoul,  Col­in Mar­shall  writes and broad­casts on cities, lan­guage, and cul­ture. His projects include the Sub­stack newslet­ter   Books on Cities ,  the book  The State­less City: a Walk through 21st-Cen­tu­ry Los Ange­les  and the video series  The City in Cin­e­ma . Fol­low him on Twit­ter at  @colinmarshall  or on  Face­book .

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Louvre Virtual Tour Part One: From Medieval Fortress to Royal Residence

Discover the fascinating story of the Louvre through its masterpieces with our virtual tour

• tour overview
• tour description
• tour reviews

duration 1.5 hours

Tour Overview

No art gallery on earth can quite measure up to the extraordinary Louvre - a jaw-dropping sequence of palaces and echoing halls housing tens of thousands of wonderful artworks, from ancient artefacts to the most iconic paintings of the Renaissance and beyond. In the company of expert guide Thomas, we’ll be tracing the long and complex story of the Louvre itself - from imposing medieval fortress to royal palace to the massive people’s art gallery we know today. The history of the Louvre tells the story of France itself, and our virtual tour will trace the profound links between art and history as told by the extraordinary gallery’s most spectacular artworks. Part one of our Louvre Virtual Tour traces the story of the gallery from its origins in the 1200s through to 1600, taking in masterpieces like Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa along the way. Be sure to pair your tour with part two, where we'll be following the story through to the present day! If the day of the week or start time of this group tour doesn't work for you, please email us at [email protected] to arrange a suitable alternative date.

• A history of the Louvre, as told by the artworks housed inside
• Expert English-speaking licensed guide
• Interactive Q and A with Thomas

Tour Description

Meet your guide: thomas.

Hi, I’m Thomas. A native of Florida, I studied History in the United States and France, Art History in France and Italy, and Archaeology in Italy. I am one of four brothers, one of many Tolkien fans, and one of very few native English-speaking licensed tour guides in Rome, where I have lived and worked with Through Eternity Tours since 2006. My particular interests are medieval history, Baroque painting, pork products, tasty cakes, and full-figured red wines. I speak English, French, Italian, a smattering of Spanish, and a few German swear words.

What Exactly is a Through Eternity Virtual Tour?   

The world of travel might be on hold right now, but just because we're all staying at home to help the world overcome a common enemy doesn't mean we have to put our wanderlust on the back burner. Frustrated with not being able to get our travel fix, we decided to transform our award-winning tours into immersive virtual experiences, meaning you can still explore Italy’s spectacular archaeological sites and jaw-dropping museums from the comfort of your own home. 

* Please note that the booking times are in US Eastern Standard Time and Rome, Italy CET is 6 hours ahead *  

Fun and informative , our virtual tours take the form of online  real-time presentations  led by our  expert guides . Combining videos, high-definition photos and more, our guides will be sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience with you on these interactive walkthroughs of Italy’s most fascinating sites. The  live format  of our virtual tours means you’ll be able to ask your guide anything you wish, just like on a normal tour. We really believe it's the next best thing to being here!

As a sign of our gratitude to those who are on the front line fighting the Coronavirus, we would be more than happy to invite all  first responders ,  health workers  and  NHS workers  to join our Virtual Tours for free. Please message our office staff directly!

Please note that the proceeds from our online tours go directly to our guides, providing them with a valuable lifeline in these tough times for the world of travel. Thank you for your support!  

Tour Reviews

5.0 (8 reviews)

A very good presentation, lots of information and history with fun facts. Thomas was engagnig and we would recommend him to others. We hope to catch part two sometime soon.

Vincent - May 10, 2021

Thomas has done it again with a tour that is jam-packed with historical information, creativity, and laughter. I knew very little about this time period and have become so fascinated by it. Thomas is so enthusiastic when he speaks....has so much energy and truly captivates his audience. There is plenty of opportunity for questions and conversation after the tour. I'd highly recommend!

Stephanie - Feb 21, 2021

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All the art in the world: Louvre’s entire collection available to view online

France’s greatest art gallery – with one of the most impressive selections of sculpture, jewellery and fine art in the world – has put up its entire 48,000-piece collection online. So you can now move from Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa to the Ancient Greek sculpture of Venus de Milo via Eugène Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People , surely one of France’s most significant works depicting Liberty holding the triumphant flag over the victorious battle scene of the French Revolution.

In normal times, the world-renowned gallery attracts 10 million visitors a year but has been shut since 30 October in an effort to contain the pandemic. Its freshly laundered, newly designed website now allows users to navigate the museum’s eight departments – as well as artworks that would typically be unseen, locked away in storage – and is available in French, English, Spanish and Chinese.

President-director Jean-Luc Martinez said: ‘The Louvre is dusting off its treasures, even the least-known. For the first time, anyone can access the entire collection of works from a computer or smartphone for free. The Louvre's stunning cultural heritage is just a click away.’

The Louvre joins the likes of the British Museum, the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia and New York's Guggenheim and Metropolitan Museum of Art, offering virtual tours during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Martinez added: ‘It's a step that has been in preparation for several years with the aim of serving the general public as well as researchers. Accessibility is at the heart of our mission.’

The platform also includes the Delacroix museum, which is run by the Louvre, as well as sculptures from the neighbouring Tuileries gardens and works recovered from Germany since the end of the war in 1945 that are waiting to be restored to the families from which they were looted. The museum announced earlier this month that it would intensify its efforts to restore items looted from Jewish families by the Nazi regime.

Experience the Louvre’s collection here: collections.louvre.fr

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Why Go On a Louvre Guided Tour?

The Louvre Museum is a must-visit when you’re in Paris. Home to 480,000 artworks, the museum is a treasure trove of art and history. One of the best ways to make the most of your visit to the Louvre is by going on a guided tour. Louvre guided tours make for a deep and meaningful experience where you can combine your love of art with knowledge. Here’s everything you need to know about choosing a Louvre guided tour.

Your Louvre Museum Guided Tour Options

Why take a guided tour of the louvre museum.

• On a guided tour, you get to learn about the history of the palace, the significance of each artwork, and interesting stories about the artists. 
• Get deeper insights and newer perspectives from a local expert who knows the ins and outs of the museum and everything inside it.
• The museum is huge! With a tour guide, you can navigate the museum easily and efficiently.
• There’s always a huge crowd at the Louvre. Guided tours allow for a hassle-free experience with small tour groups. 
• Louvre guided tours come with a skip-the-line feature which means you can bypass long ticket lines and head straight in.

What to Expect on Your Louvre Museum Guided Tour

Once you meet your tour guide, you will gain priority access to the museum . Skip past the long lines and head right in along with your tour guide. Irrespective of which type of guided tour you choose, you can be sure that you will get to see all the most famous artworks inside the museum. This includes the Mona Lisa , Venus de Milo, The Winged Victory of Samothrace, and many other masterpieces by renowned artists. 

Witness the best of European art as you visit various collections of paintings including the French paintings, the Grande Galerie, and Italian Renaissance pieces. Take a trip back in time as you walk through the massive Egyptian collection in the Crypt of the Sphinx and get a sense of what ancient Egypt was like. You will also be taken to the courtyards of the museum where a charming collection of ancient royal sculptures are kept. Your ticket is valid throughout the day so you can take your time exploring the rest of the museum once your guided tour is over.

Louvre Guided Tours vs Non-Guided Tours

• You will be accompanied by an expert tour guide who will give you a keen insight into the history of the museum and its artworks.
• Guided tours have a fixed itinerary which is helpful when you have to explore a large museum like the Louvre.
• You get to skip past long lines and get right into the museum on priority. 
• These tours are conducted in small groups for a more wholesome and interactive experience.

Non-Guided Tours

• With a general admission ticket, you can avail of an audio guide to learn about all the artworks inside. 
• You get to explore the museum at your own pace as opposed to going at the pace of a group.
• You will have to wait in line to get inside the museum which could take between 30 minutes to 1 hour on less crowded days. During peak hours and weekends it could take up to 2 hours to get inside.  

Highlights Covered On Your Louvre Museum Guided Tour

Marvel at a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance and one of the most famous paintings in the world. The Mona Lisa is a portrait painting created by Leonardo da Vinci, housed at the Louvre Museum in Paris. It is the highest valued painting with an insurance valuation of about $870 million. This is definitely one of the main highlights of visiting the Louvre.

Venus de Milo

Venus de Milo is an ancient Greek sculpture dating back to around 150 and 125 BC. Based on the inscription on the sculpture, the masterpiece was crafted by Alexandros of Antioch. This is by far the most famous sculpture across the world and has been kept in the Louvre in 1820. The sculpture is missing one entire arm and a major portion of the other, as well as its original plinth.

The Winged Victory of Samothrace

Standing tall atop the iconic Daru staircase is the statue of the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The statue represents the Goddess of Victory and is also known as the Nike of Victory. Dating back to the second century BCE, the statue is a masterpiece of Greek art. Although the exact origin of the piece is unknown, it was found on Samothrace island, towards the north of the Aegean sea.

French Paintings

There are several magnificent French paintings housed in the Louvre Museum. Your tour guide will point out the most noteworthy ones and tell you about them in detail. Be sure to look out for The Raft of Medusa by Gericault, Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix, The Coronation of Napoleon by David, and the Rape of the Sabine Woman by Poussin to name a few.

Italian Paintings

Some of the largest and most exquisite Italian paintings can be found in the Grande Galerie of the museum. This part of the palace has a long history. It was initially built as a connecting path between the Louvre Palace and the Tuileries Palace, which no longer exists. Take a walk through this remarkable gallery as you admire the many masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance.

Egyptian Collection

Behind the Crypt of the Sphinx is a massive collection of Egyptian antiques. Inside this collection are over 6000 pieces of Egyptian history, spanning almost 5000 years of the country's civilization. What initially started off as a four-room showcase, eventually extended to cover two floors of the museum. Stroll through the extensive collection as you learn about the fascinating history of ancient Egypt.

The courtyards of the Louvre are adorned with beautiful sculptures bathed in natural light. Most of these sculptures were created for the gardens of palaces including the Château de Versailles, Château de Marly, and the Tuileries Palace. Some noteworthy sculptures to look out for are Perseus and Andromeda and Milo of Croton, both of which were part of the Château de Versailles gardens. The pieces here were created between the 17th and 19th centuries by renowned French sculptors.

Royal Apartments

Get a glimpse of how French monarchs lived back in the day as you tour the royal apartments of Napoleon III. This section of the museum has been preserved for about 150 years and was the home of Napoleon III IN 1861. Inside this area, you will find many objects including furniture, chandeliers, vases, and more, that once served the monarch of France. The Napoleon III apartments are located on the first floor of the Richelieu Wing. 

Visitor Tips

• Book your tickets and time slot in advance. This ensures that you secure your spot well in advance as these get filled up quite quickly.
• Keep in mind that there is a separate entrance for tour groups located at the Richelieu Wing. 
• Children and adults below the age of 26 are entitled to free admission. School children and disabled guests can also avail of free entry, however, prior reservation is mandatory.
• Make sure that you arrive early and give yourself enough time to get to the entrance from the metro station. 
• Wheelchairs and prams are available at the group reception area if needed. 
• If you need to take breaks, seats are available throughout the museum.
• Travel light when you visit the museum. If needed, lockers are available for tour groups at the special reception area below the Pyramid .

Frequently Asked Questions About Louvre Guided Tours

Yes. There are several Louvre guided tour options for you to choose from.

There are 3 different types of Louvre guided tours you can choose from - Louvre Guided Tour - Express (90 Min), Louvre Guided Tour - Comprehensive (3 Hours), and Louvre Guided Tour - Small Group (up to 15 guests).

You can book a Louvre guided tour online .

Louvre guided tours start from €53.90.

Louvre guided tours are available in English, Spanish, and French.

Your Louvre guided tour covers all the major rooms of the Louvre Museum .

Louvre guided tours are a great way to explore the museum and learn about all the artworks .

Yes. Your Louvre guided tours include skip-the-line access.

Yes. Your Louvre guided tours come with a flexible cancellation policy.

Louvre guided tours can take between 1.5 to 3 hours.

Yes. Infants between the ages of 0 - 3 years can enter the museum for free. Children under 14 years can avail of discounted tickets with a valid photo ID.

Visitor Trails - Helpful tips before or during your visit

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Visitor Trails Helpful tips before or during your visit

Don’t know where to start? Be your own guide with these tours designed according to the amount of time you plan to spend in the museum and what interests you. To prepare your visit, be sure to check on room openings and closures. Some works may not be on display due to special exhibitions, loans, conservation treatment, etc. If this is the case, jump ahead to the next stop, as this won’t alter your tour route.

The Louvre’s Masterpieces

What exactly is a masterpiece? Follow this trail to find out!

My Louvre by Antoine Compagnon

Writer in residence

Journey along the Nile

Explore ancient Egypt as a family!

Secret Treasures of the Richelieu Wing

Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s Louvre Highlights

Artworks featured in the 'APES**T' music video

See map of the museum