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What to see in the Louvre is a question with seemingly endless answers. With a collection of over 35,000 valuables in its arsenal, the Louvre is a definite treasure trove of delightful things begging to be explored.
If it’s your first time in Paris — or your nth time, but you haven’t had the chance to visit the Louvre yet — then a stopover at one of the world’s greatest museums is a wonderful way to spend your day in Paris or, if pressed for time, even for just a few hours.
Why should I visit the Louvre museum?
The Louvre can be a highly worthwhile and enriching experience for many people as it is one of the world’s most renowned and largest art museums, home to an extensive collection of art and historical artifacts. It houses famous works such as the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace, among many others.
Quick Background of Louvre
The Louvre opened as a museum in 1793, during the French Revolution. It is housed in the Louvre Palace, a huge and grand affair on the Right Bank of the river Seine in Paris’s 1st arrondissement.
The Louvre Museum today is home to art and antiquities of Egyptian, Oriental, Roman, Islamic, Greek, Etruscan, European, and North and South American origins, paintings, sculptures, objets d’art, drawings, prints and more.
The Layout of the Museum
The Louvre is divided into 3 wings–Sully, Denon, and Richelieu–of more than four floors.
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What to See in the Louvre
Pyramide du Louvre
To start off the ostensibly countless things of what to see in the Louvre is its curiously interesting main entrance: I. M. Pei’s glass pyramid, Pyramide du Louvre.
Located in the main courtyard, it was a structure added in 1989. Many believe this imaginative edifice has no place in what is otherwise an elegant and grand building, but for some reason, it works and blends harmoniously with the rest of the Louvre’s facade.
Personally, I like the Pyramide. I think it’s a genius, looks attractive, and is a work of art in itself.
Take time to admire it and see how you’ll like it. It is attractive in the daytime and quite enchanting at night.
Other entrances to the Louvre are under the Arc du Carrousel, at Passage Richelieu, and at the Porte des Lions.
Paintings
The Louvre’s largest collection is its paintings and some of them are the museum’s pièce de résistance.
The Mona Lisa
Start off with its famous Italian painting in residence: the Mona Lisa by equally famous Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci located on Denon wing’s first floor. It is one of the icons of Renaissance art.
My Thoughts on the Mona Lisa
Was this my first stop during my first time in the Louvre? Of course! I’ve been wanting to see the Mona Lisa ever since forever and I’ve always wondered why can something so… hmm, normal-looking in photos be so famous. Because I used to think it looked like any other picture of some other girl, yet it had everyone (or seemingly everyone) waxing poetic about it. So I was totally curious and had to see for myself what the hullabaloo is all about. Ha.
Was my curiosity satisfied? Well, yes and no. Yes, because I finally got to see the Mona Lisa! And that’s a huge thing, right? And no, because finally seeing the real thing didn’t fully answer my questions, heh. Still, it looked lovely enough for me to think that it does deserve the hype. I’m not very well-versed in art, so I think I need to do more reading to understand what makes the Mona Lisa special and revered.
Anyway, the Mona Lisa was smaller than I expected it to be. There was a crowd surrounding it and lots of security trying to manage that crowd, so it was difficult for us to get close to it at first. We managed to get some foot nearer, though, after waiting a bit for the crowd to thin out.
So a tip:
If you want to see the Mona Lisa up close, go early in the morning when the museum has just opened, or go in the evening when there’s less crowd.
19th Century French Paintings
Another revered painting you need to see that’s just located nearby, on the same floor and wing, is The Raft of the Medusa (1818-1819) by French Romantic painter Théodore Géricault. It is an icon of French Romanticism.
Also close by is the Coronation of Napoleon I (1807) by Jacques-Louis David, who was the official painter of Napoleon.
Another is Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres’ La Grande Odalisque (1814).
The evocative painting Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix is also found on the same floor. This work of art remembers the revolution of 1830 that ousted King Charles X. The flag with three colors held by the lady (symbolizing the idea of Liberty) was made into France’s flag after this event. Lady Liberty is a symbol of France.
Leonardo da Vinci
Other paintings by Leonardo da Vinci in residence are The Virgin and Child with St. Anne and Virgin of the Rocks, which are located in the museum’s Grand Gallery.
More Italian Artists
Other noteworthy works of art from Italian artists are two frescoes by Italian painter Sandro Botticelli and Coronation of the Virgin by Fra Angelico.
Dutch Artists
Dutch artworks are also well-represented in the Louvre. Leading the pack are Rembrandt’s Bathsheba at Her Bath and Supper at Emmaus, Johannes Vermeer’s The Lacemaker and The Astronomer.
The paintings in the Louvre are up to 1848 only. Later ones can be found in Musée d’Orsay.
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Sculptures
When it comes to sculptures, the biggest crowd drawers are Venus de Milo (left photo) and the Winged Victory of Samothrace (right photo), located in the Greek and Roman Antiquities section.
Venus de Milo is from Greece’s Hellenistic Period, around 150 and 125 BC. The sculpted woman striking a pose is believed to be Aphrodite. It is located on the ground floor of Sully wing.
The Winged Victory of Samothrace, also from the same period, is located at the Louvre’s main stairs or on the ground floor of Denon wing. It depicts the winged goddess Niké (Victory) without a head and arms standing on the bow of a ship. Personally, I love this sculpture; I think it’s meaningfully beautiful and symbolic.
Also located on the ground floor of Denon Wing is Italian Renaissance artist Michaelangelo’s Slaves (left photo), created for the tomb of Pope Julius II.
In the Richelieu wing, displays of French sculptures from the Romanesque to Impressionism can be found. Noteworthy to see are the Marly Horses in the wing’s glass-covered courtyard, as is Pierre Paul Puget’s Milon de Crotone.
Egyptian Antiquities
The Egyptian Antiquities collection displays what living could have been like during the period through objects like household items, jewellery, sarcophagi, art, hieroglyphics and more. The crypt of the Sphinx is an interesting sight.
Oriental Antiquities and Arts of Islam
This section displays artefacts from Assyrian, Babylonian, Mesopotamian, Phoenician and Sumerian civilizations. Noteworthy among its vast displays is the Code of Hammurabi, Babylonian King Hammurabi’s rules during his reign.
Medieval Louvre
The Medieval Louvre section displays the beginnings of the palace as a medieval fortress. You can find here the ruins of the 12th-century original castle, complete with a dungeon and moat. It is located in the Sully Wing.
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Objets d’Art
The Objets d’Art section displays a collection of exceptional pieces of jewellery, textiles, furniture and china from the Middle Ages through the 19th century owned by France’s wealthiest residents during the time. The collection encompasses more than 80 opulent rooms that showcase the evolution and changes in style.
Les Arts Décoratifs
Les Arts Décoratifs has three museums dedicated to design and applied arts. They contain excellently crafted furniture, clothing, textiles, decorative arts, advertising posters and other objects.
Restaurants and Cafés
The Louvre has many restaurants, cafés and takeout counters for you to grab a bite. They’re perfect when you need to break from all the walking and sightseeing.
There’s Café Mollien in Denon wing and Café Richelieu in Richelieu wing. Café Marly overlooks the main courtyard and the Pyramide, which is the perfect place for people-watching, a favorite pastime of the Parisians.
Shop these Paris Travel Guides
That’s pretty much a birds-eye view of what to see in the Louvre. And now for some more tips for when visiting.
Tips for Visiting the Louvre
For a stress-free and cheaper Louvre experience:
- The Louvre is free every first Sunday of the month. No admission fees, so you get to save, especially if you’re going as a group. We went on the first Sunday, too, so we didn’t pay anything, yay!
- Tickets are valid all day and same-day readmission is allowed.
- Discounted ticket prices are available on Fridays after 6 p.m.
- Free tickets for students under 18 and for those under 26 from the European Economic Area or studying there.
- Buy your tickets online before going to avoid standing and waiting in long lines. Because there are almost always long lines in the Louvre.
- Grab a free map or floor plan at the information desk below the pyramid entrance at the start.
- If you’re pressed for time, take the guided tour by a museum guide that covers popular masterpieces.
- A Best of the Louvre tour used to be available on Wednesdays and Fridays when the museum is open until 9:45 p.m., but I’m not so sure now, so better check the museum’s website. It’s a great way to save time by seeing only the essentials.
- If you’d like to do the tour on your own but have limited time, then there’s a self-guided tour available on the museum’s website that you can access well ahead of your visit. The way through the important works is already mapped out for you, so you’ll have an easier time navigating the Louvre when you’re already there.
- If you only have a day in Paris, but would like to see the Louvre and squeeze in some sightseeing of other Paris iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower at the same time, this combined Louvre Museum Tour and Seine River Cruise is the way to go. Only book once and you get both the museum tour and the river cruise. Both come with audio guides.
Paris Hotels
For places to stay near The Louvre and located in the center of the city, these accommodations come with high customer ratings. Check them out.
- My Maison in Paris – Louvre
- Hôtel Regina Louvre – Located just across from the Louvre, this is a beautiful hotel.
- Hotel Ducs de Bourgogne – Located just a five-minute walk from the Louvre.
Final Thoughts
We hope this post answers your question about what to see in the Louvre. We hope too you’ll have the best of time while there. As always, happy travels!
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Wow reading this article is making me to want to take an airplane and go to Paris.
Glad it has that effect. Thanks for visiting!
The Louvre is a dream of mine just to wander all day, soaking in all the art…thank you for the further inspiration
I’m glad you find this inspiring 🙂 Thank you too and you’re most welcome!
Great post!