The Louvre occupies the former royal palace on the Right Bank of the Seine in central Paris. It is one of the world's largest art museums, home to the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and collections that run from ancient sculpture to 19th-century painting.
Leonardo's portrait hangs in the Denon wing. Expect a queue inside the room itself. The nearby Winged Victory of Samothrace sits on the Daru staircase.
I. M. Pei's 1989 pyramid is the main public entrance in the Cour Napoleon. Timed-entry tickets are sold on the official Louvre website.
The museum fills a former royal palace. Cour Carree and the Tuileries gardens next door are part of the same historic axis toward Place de la Concorde.
Buy timed tickets on louvre.fr. Confirm current hours, closed Tuesdays, and any room closures before you go.
You will not see everything in one visit. Pick a wing (Denon, Sully, or Richelieu) and a few rooms rather than chasing every highlight.
The building itself, from medieval foundations to the pyramid, is part of the reason to come.
Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre on Metro lines 1 and 7 sits under the museum. The Seine and Tuileries are at the door.
Do you need a ticket for the Louvre?
Yes. Book a timed ticket on the official Louvre website. Paris Museum Pass holders still need a time slot.
What day is the Louvre closed?
Tuesday. Hours on other days vary; evening openings happen on some weeknights. Confirm on louvre.fr.
Where is the Mona Lisa?
In the Denon wing. The room is busy. Give yourself extra time inside security and inside that gallery.
Is the pyramid the only entrance?
It is the main public entrance. Other doors are used for groups or special tickets. Follow the museum's current entrance map.
The Louvre began as a medieval fortress, became a royal palace, and opened as a public museum in 1793. Its collections span antiquities, Islamic art, European painting, and sculpture across three named wings around the Cour Napoleon.
The museum sits on the historic axis that runs from the Cour Carree through the Tuileries to the Arc de Triomphe. It is one of Paris's most visited indoor attractions, so timed tickets and a short list of rooms make a better visit than trying to cover the whole map.
