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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 02 March, 2023
Expert travel writer: Anna Brooke

The world’s most visited museum, the Louvre dates back to the 13th century, and was the primary residence of the French Royal family until Louis XVI moved the household to the Palais of Versailles in 1682. It opened as a museum in 1793 with 537 paintings – mainly from the Royal collection; today it houses 35,000 works of art and 380,000 objects.

The building is almost as much of an attraction as the exhibits; explore the grand galleries with ornately painted ceilings, opulent stairways and remnants of a medieval Parisian palace. Let yourself wander – and wonder – your way through the museum’s beautifully laid out, labyrinthine halls and discover world-class Italian Renaissance and French Neoclassical and Romantic painting, antique sculpture, treasures from Ancient Egypt and Assyria, or medieval gold and silverwares.

The sheer wealth of exhibits in the Louvre can be intimidating on the one hand; on the other, it means there’s always something fascinating to discover.

Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience

Price from: £15
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 16+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

The nearest Metro station is Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre. Queues at the main Pyramid entrance can be vast; try one of the other entrances – at the Porte des Lions, just east of the Pont Royal; at 99 rue du Rivoli; or at the Arc du Carousel.

There are audio guides for iPhone, Android and Nintendo 3DS available at the entrance for a small extra fee – you can book them ahead of time to avoid queueing for them once inside. They also offer several online ‘visitor trails’ focusing on different themes or parts of the collection. There’s a particularly useful one on ‘masterpieces’ to ensure you see all the greatest works in one visit. There are guided tours on Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 11am that will also take you to see the masterpieces, and explain the museum’s history – great for first-timers.

Allow around four hours to really take in the scale of the museum. There are more than 15 cafés, restaurants and stalls inside the Louvre and neighbouring Tuileries when you need a pit stop. Tickets for the Louvre are valid all day, so you can take a break in the Tuileries gardens in the middle of your arts fix.

When to do it

The museum is open year-round, seven days a week.

Although always popular, it’s slightly quieter on weekdays, especially mornings. Avoid visiting on the first Sunday of the month, when entrance is free and queues are fierce. Look out for evening opening hours on Wednesdays and Fridays, which have more of a civilised feel.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Louvre Inside or Outdoor Tour Experience with Combo Option

Louvre Inside or Outdoor Tour Experience with Combo Option

Paris

You can experience the magic of the Louvre three ways: (1) with a private guide inside the museum, (2) on a guided tour of the parks and gro...

€41 | Rating 4.46 / 5 [148 ratings]

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Highlights and hidden pearls in Louvre

Highlights and hidden pearls in Louvre

Paris

This excursion was created by an architect and a cultural journalist. We made it possible to see the best of the Louvre and many hidden spac...

€42 | Rating 4.80 / 5 [121 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Louvre Museum Skip-the-Line Guided Tour with Venus de Milo & Mona Lisa

Louvre Museum Skip-the-Line Guided Tour with Venus de Milo & Mona Lisa

Paris

Take a small group or a private (depending on the option you choose) walking tour of the Louvre Museum in Paris and jump the queue by bookin...

€58 | Rating 4.43 / 5 [5589 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Louvre Highlights Skip-the- Line Guided Tour with Mona Lisa & Venus de Milo

Louvre Highlights Skip-the- Line Guided Tour with Mona Lisa & Venus de Milo

Paris

See the best of the Louvre in just two hours with skip the line tickets so you won’t waste time waiting in line. Led by an expert local tour...

€64 | Rating 4.82 / 5 [316 ratings]

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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Hotel Le Pradey

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.6 miles]

In a perfect Louvre-adjacent location, this witty, original boutique hotel pays homage to Parisian style.

Official star rating:

Hotel d’Aubusson

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.7 miles]

A grand, historic boutique hotel, set in a 17th-century St-Germain townhouse, offers both history and a brilliant, contemporary Left Bank location.

Official star rating:

Hotel Bachaumont

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.8 miles]

A hip, Haussmann-style hotel is a fab base for anyone looking to mix sightseeing with shopping and nightlife. Uber-central, close to the Louvre, and with a brasserie and bars worth staying in for.

Official star rating:

Le Meurice

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.9 miles]

Seriously grand but pleasingly unstuffy, the queen of Paris’ palace hotels has a regal setting overlooking the Jardin des Tuileries.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Paris

Ile-de-France, France

Crammed with iconic buildings, world-class art and a culinary scene steeped in history, Paris is one of the world’s great capitals, overflowing with style, romance, and art de vivre. 

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Overview >

Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Museum of Decorative Arts

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.4 miles]

The largest museum of decorative arts in continental Europe, home to an inspirational and diverse collection of 1M+ items of furniture, ceramics, jewellery and more, dating from the Middle Ages through to the latest designers.

Best for ages: 18+ | £12

La Conciergerie

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.8 miles]

This vast Medieval palace was most famous as the ‘antechamber to the guillotine’ in the French Revolution. Three thousand prisoners were tried and convicted here, including France’s last queen Marie Antoinette.

Best for ages: 13+ | £10

Orsay Museum

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.8 miles]

A gloriously-converted Belle Epoque train station that is now a temple to Impressionist art dating from 1848 to 1914. The exceptional collection includes works by Monet, Manet, Degas, Cezanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh.

Best for ages: 13+ | £14

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Sainte-Chapelle

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.8 miles]

Paris’ most exquisite Gothic monument was built by Louis IX in 1248 to house his collection of Passion relics, including Christ’s Crown of Thorns (now at Notre-Dame Cathedral). It has one of the most extensive 13th-century stained-glass collections anywhere in the world.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Stohrer

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Best for ages: 4+ | Free

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Victor Hugo’s House

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[2.2 miles]

The apartment where famous French poet and novelist Victor Hugo lived for 16 years, now a museum about his life and works.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Moulin Rouge

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[2.6 miles]

A long-running, extravagant, colourful cabaret featuring dancers and courtesans has been thrilling Parisian audiences since 1889. See the incomparable Can Can – the enigmatic dance that’s its greatest claim to fame.

Best for ages: 10+ | £74 | 2-4 hours

Round-ups that include this experience