# The Louvre, Paris > The Louvre is France's great art museum and one of the most visited in the world, in a former royal palace on the Right Bank of the Seine. It holds Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace, ancient sculpture, Egyptian antiquities and thousands of paintings. It opened in 1793, and you enter through the glass pyramid in the courtyard. Entry is on a timed ticket; allow 3–4 hours. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/paris/louvre - City: [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris), France - YesGo score: 62/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 3 h 30 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Timed ticket, online - Hours: Closed on Tuesdays - Time needed: 3–4 hours for the highlights - Highlights: Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory - Entrances: The pyramid or the Carrousel - Location: Right Bank, 1st arrondissement - Coordinates: 48.86111, 2.33583 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1793** — the museum opened to the public (source: English Wikipedia) - **537** — paintings in the first exhibition (source: English Wikipedia) - **12th–13th c.** — the fortress where the palace began (source: English Wikipedia) - **1546** — Francis I made it a royal residence (source: English Wikipedia) ## About the Louvre The Louvre is France's national art museum on the Right Bank of the Seine, in the 1st arrondissement. It occupies the **Louvre Palace**, which began as a fortress in the late **12th to 13th century**, whose remains can still be seen in the basement. In **1546** King Francis I turned it into the main residence of the French kings, and the palace was rebuilt and extended many times. The museum opened on **10 August 1793** with an exhibition of **537** paintings. The collection has since grown many times over: today it spans ancient statues, Egyptian antiquities, Near Eastern art, European painting and sculpture, plus royal apartments and treasures. ## What to see in the Louvre - **The Mona Lisa** — Leonardo's portrait, always surrounded by a crowd. - **The Venus de Milo** — the ancient statue of the goddess. - **The Winged Victory** — atop the grand staircase. - **Egyptian antiquities** — sarcophagi, statues and papyri. - **The Galerie d'Apollon** — the royal jewels. - **The medieval Louvre** — fortress walls in the basement. ## The great masterpieces Almost everyone heads first for Leonardo da Vinci's **Mona Lisa**, a small portrait behind glass in a vast hall, always with a crowd in front. Nearby hang Italian Renaissance paintings, including other works by Leonardo, Raphael and Titian, and huge canvases by French painters. Just as famous are the **Venus de Milo**, the armless ancient goddess, and the **Winged Victory of Samothrace**, the winged goddess on a ship's prow who greets visitors at the top of the grand staircase. The Egyptian rooms hold pharaohs' sarcophagi and statues, and the Near Eastern department treasures from ancient Mesopotamia. > **Skipping the queue** Buy a timed ticket on the official website, as on-the-spot tickets may not be available. Rather than the pyramid, use the underground Carrousel entrance from Rue de Rivoli, where queues are usually shorter. The best times are opening time or the evenings when the museum stays open late. ## The pyramid and the palace In the Cour Napoléon stands the **glass pyramid**, the main entrance, opened in the late 20th century. Its modern design was controversial at first, but it's now as much a symbol of the Louvre as its masterpieces. Beneath it is a large hall where escalators lead to the three wings: Denon, Sully and Richelieu. The palace itself is an exhibit: the Richelieu wing has Napoleon III's lavish apartments, and the Sully basement reveals the medieval fortress walls. Windows look out over the Tuileries Garden and the Seine. ## How to get there 1. Metro lines 1 and 7 to **Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre**. 2. The pyramid entrance is in the Cour Napoléon. 3. The underground Carrousel entrance is on Rue de Rivoli. 4. On foot through the Tuileries from Place de la Concorde, 15 minutes. ## Tips for your visit The Louvre is enormous and impossible to see in one day. Choose 2–3 departments and your must-see works in advance, and grab a map or the official app. Comfortable shoes are essential, as you'll easily walk several kilometres. Visit the Mona Lisa right at opening or near closing, when crowds are thinner. There are cafés inside, but queues build in high season; the Tuileries Garden next door is a good place for a snack. Children love the Egyptian department with its mummies and sarcophagi and the medieval basement with its fortress walls. Family trails and children's audio guides are available. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Book a timed ticket online - [ ] Pick 2–3 departments in advance - [ ] Enter through the Carrousel - [ ] See the Mona Lisa and the Winged Victory - [ ] Visit the medieval Louvre walls ## Places in Paris: compare and choose Places in Paris rated by YesGo. - [The Louvre](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/louvre) — YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h 30 min · Timed ticket, online - [Musée d'Orsay](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/musee-dorsay) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h 30 min · Timed ticket, online - [Musée de l'Orangerie](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/musee-de-lorangerie) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Ticketed, free under 18 - [Musée de Cluny](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/musee-de-cluny) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Ticketed, free under 18 - [Musée Rodin](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/musee-rodin) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Museum and garden ticket, free under 18 - [Fondation Louis Vuitton](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/fondation-louis-vuitton) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Timed ticket, book ahead - [Parc de la Villette](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/parc-de-la-villette) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Park free, museums ticketed - [Giverny](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/giverny) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Ticket for the house and gardens ## Don't mix it up The Louvre covers art up to the mid-19th century; the Impressionists are in the Musée d'Orsay across the Seine. ## Tips - Book a timed ticket online. - The Carrousel entrance is quicker. - Pick 2–3 departments. - Closed on Tuesdays. ## Questions ### How much does the Louvre cost? Entry is paid; timed tickets are sold on the official website. ### How long do you need at the Louvre? 3–4 hours for the highlights; a day isn't enough for everything. ### Where is the Mona Lisa? In the Denon wing, in the great hall of Italian painting. ### Which day is the Louvre closed? Usually Tuesday; check the website. ### How can I skip the line at the Louvre? With a timed ticket and the underground Carrousel entrance. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Hours and prices weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Louvre - Official website, louvre.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.