Tips & Tricks for Visiting the Louvre: What to Know Before You Go

The Musée du Louvre, generally just referred to as “The Louvre,” is the most famous and most visited museum in the entire world. It receives almost 9 million visitors every year and holds over 35,000 pieces of art!

It’s also an enormous museum. Truly, the size of the Louvre can’t be overstated. It’s easy to get turned around and certain areas can be extremely busy.

That said, I LOVE the Louvre. It’s beautiful inside and out, and there’s something special about being surrounded by so much art, sculpture, and architecture all at once.

A lot of your experience at the Louvre comes down to your expectations going in, and how you plan to approach your visit once you’re inside.

I’m going to go into a lot of detail about the Louvre and things to know before you go in this post. So, let’s dive into my top tips for visiting the Louvre, based on my many visits to this incredible museum.

Quick Links
👉Louvre Museum Masterpieces Guided Tour
👉Paris Museum Pass
👉Single Ticket Entry

Quick Look at the Louvre’s Fascinating History

I think it makes a visit to the Louvre more meaningful if you understand a little bit about the Louvre’s backstory. The original structure was a medieval fortress, constructed in the late 12th century.

Over the years, it became more palace and less fortress, until 1546 when François I officially converted it into a royal residence.

The palace continued to be developed and renovated throughout the years, until Louis XIV decided to move the royal court out to the Palace of Versailles. It’s certainly an audacious move – Louis the 14th was known as “The Sun King,” and everything he did was intended to consolidate power and establish the king as being ordained by God to rule.

One major tactic to accomplish those goals was to create the biggest, most opulent palace and court that anyone could imagine, which is what he established in Versailles.

After the royal residence moved to Versailles, the Louvre was used to store royal artifacts and the immense art collection. With the French Revolution sweeping the king out of power, the new government decided to take advantage of all the artwork, and it officially became a museum in 1793.

Thanks to its royal history, the Louvre Palace is an incredibly grand and opulent building, and for me, it is just as impressive as the works of art inside the museum. I love the Louvre architecture!

The Louvre’s Most Famous Art

This is obviously a subjective exercise, but these are some of the most important and well-known works in the Louvre.

For more information , check out my list of 15 most famous and iconic masterpieces in the Louvre.

A Note About the Mona Lisa

The Louvre is, of course, most famous for the Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic portrait. Most people are surprised by two things when they see her in person: how small the painting is, and how intense the crowds around it can be.

If seeing the Mona Lisa is important to you, it’s absolutely fine to make a point of stopping by. Just know that it usually involves pushing through a dense crowd, standing behind barriers, and spending only a brief time in front of the painting. It’s not the kind of experience where you linger and quietly take things in.

For many visitors, the Mona Lisa ends up feeling more like a box to check than the main highlight of their visit.

Practical Information for Visiting the Louvre

How the Louvre is Set Up

In the middle of the Louvre complex is the glass pyramid, which is the most well-known entrance to the Louvre. Underneath the Pyramid is the Louvre Entrance Hall, where all the guest facilities and the entrance booths are.

There are three different wings of the Louvre: Richelieu, Sully, and Denon. Each of these wings has its own, separate entrance off the Entrance Hall.

These three wings are shaped like a horseshoe, and are interconnected.

Be aware that there are usually queues to enter each wing of the Louvre (as you need to get your ticket scanned to enter the Sully, Denon, and Richelieu wings)

Additionally, each wing of the Louvre has 4 floors (Floor -1, 0, 1, and 2), and each floor is filled with dozens of rooms, filled with priceless paintings, sculptures, and antiquities.

(For My US Readers: In France, the ground floor is 0, and what would be the 2nd floor in the USA is the 1st floor, etc. Floor -1 is the basement)

My Favorite Spots in the Louvre

Now, everyone has their own preferences, but my favorite spots in the Louvre are: 

• Denon Wing: 1st floor for the Winged Victory, the Mona Lisa, Napoleon’s Coronation and other paintings in the 700, 701, and 702 rooms, and the Apollo Gallery. On the 0 floor: Greek, Roman, and European sculptures
• Richelieu Wing: 0 floor: Cour Marly and Cour Puget sculpture galleries, and the Code of Hammurabi in the Antiquities section on 0 floor, Napoleon III apartments on floor 1.
• Sully: 0 floor for Egyptian antiquities (mummies, etc) and Greek statues, 2nd floor for French and Northern European paintings

How Long Do You Need For the Louvre?

This answer varies widely, depending on how much you love art and how much time you have in Paris. If you LOVE art, you could spend all day (many days even!) in the Louvre.

However, for the average visitor, I think that 3-4 hours in the Louvre is the right amount of time.  

You’ll only have time to see a few areas and some key highlights, but it’s more than enough to get a real sense of the museum’s scale and see some truly beautiful works.

Should I Do a Guided Tour of the Louvre or Explore by Myself?

I’ve done guided tours and self-guided tours of the Louvre, and I think both are good options. It just depends on what you want to see and your personal preferences. Here are some things to know and consider about each option:

Guided Tours: A guided tour, like this Louvre Masterpieces Tour, is an excellent way to experience the Louvre, as you’ll go straight to some of the most notable and interesting paintings and artwork, and hear the backstory about the piece and the artist.

You don’t have to worry about navigating through the museum or finding the top spots yourself, and you’ll come away with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the works of art you’ll see.

Additionally, most tours allow you to skip the lines at the Louvre entrances.

Self-Guided: Self-guided tours allow you to have more flexibility with your schedule and to explore at your own pace. If you don’t want to go with a tour but still want some information and backstory about the artwork, you can pick up an audioguide for €6 in the Entrance Hall.

Ticket Options for the Louvre

Guided Tour: If a guided tour sounds like the right option for you, I recommend this Louvre Masterpieces Tour. You’ll visit highlights of the Louvre, including Winged Victory, Venus de Milo, the Apollo Gallery, Napoleon’s Coronation, and many other paintings and sculpture galleries, learning fascinating stories about their history.

You can choose from a smaller group tour (24 people) or a very small group tour (12 people).

Single Ticket: If you are buying your own ticket, you can either purchase a timed-entry ticket, or you can use the Paris Museum Pass. You can buy your single ticket ahead of time online (highly recommended), but if the day isn’t sold out, you can also buy them in the Louvre Entrance Hall (not recommended – it can sell out).

Paris Museum Pass: The Paris Museum Pass is a great option if you are going to be visiting several of the monuments and museums around Paris – it doesn’t include *just* traditional museums.

A few of the top sites that it includes are the Arc de Triomphe, the Conciergerie, the Musée d’Orsay, the Louvre, Versailles, Les Invalides, the Pompidou, the l’Orangerie, the Pantheon, Sainte-Chapelle, and the Rodin Museum, as well as many other lesser-known museums.

I’ve bought the PMP on several occasions and found it to be a good deal, but it really just depends on what you want to see and do. If you do purchase this pass, note that you will still need to reserve your time slot on the Louvre website. (You will also need to reserve a time slot for Versailles).

Pro Tip: Whether you’re buying a single ticket or using the Paris Museum Pass, you’ll need to make a timed entry reservation with your ticket. Time slots do sell out, so I recommend making your reservation at least several weeks in advance.

Free and Reduced Rate Groups: Anyone under the age of 18 gets free admission to the Louvre, and young adults from the EU under 26 years of age are also free. You must bring photo ID with you to get free entrance.

Additionally, the Louvre is free to all visitors on the first Friday of the month after 6 p.m. (except in July and August). However, I’d actually avoid coming on this day because the crowds on free museum days are insane.

Maps of the Louvre

If you’re touring through the Louvre by yourself (without a guided tour), you definitely need a map. Don’t even think of venturing into the Louvre’s depths without one!

You can pick up a paper map in the Entrance Hall, or you can download the map on your phone here. The map labels some of the most prominent works of art in each section.

The Louvre also has a few different “Visitor Trails” you can follow through the museum. These trails give exact instructions on where to go and what to see, and usually highlight between 10-15 works of art.

I think these 3 are the better of the 5 trails currently offered: Beyonce and Jay-Z’s Louvre Highlights, The Louvre’s Masterpieces, and Secret Treasures of the Richelieu Wing. You can explore the trails here.

PRO TIP: I would highly, highly recommend looking at the map and the type of art in the different areas of the Louvre, and planning out a rough route ahead of time. This is going to make a huge difference in your enjoyment of the Louvre.

Opening Hours for the Louvre

The Louvre is open from 9am-6pm on Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

It is open from 9am-9pm on Wednesday and Friday

The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.

How to Avoid Crowds

While there’s no way to truly avoid crowds in the Louvre, here are a few tips:

• Get the first 9am time slot for entrance into the Louvre. This is the best time to visit the Louvre since you’ll have an hour or two before the crowds really swell.
• Visit the major works in the Denon wing first thing in the morning or last thing before it closes, before the crowds get too intense.
• Visit later in the afternoon, or later on Friday or Wednesday night. Note that Louvre staff will start clearing rooms and making people walk to the exit 30 minutes before closing time.
• Come mid-week and during the winter.
• Go to lesser-visited galleries. These are some of the best off-the-beaten-path spots in the Louvre.

Read Next: Where to Stay Near the Louvre on a Budget

Where is the Louvre and How to Enter

The Louvre Museum is located in the very center of Paris, right along the Seine, in the 1st arrondissement. It’s right next to the Jardin de Tuileries, near Place Vendome, and a short walk from Notre Dame.

There are three ways to enter the Louvre:

Through the Glass Pyramid: This is certainly the most iconic way to enter, and it’s where most people come into the Louvre. This is also, far and away, the busiest entrance point.

Through the Caroussel du Louvre: The Carrousel du Louvre is an underground shopping area beneath the Entrance Hall. If you are taking Metro Line 1 or 7, you can get off at Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre stop and enter the Carrousel directly from the metro station. Alternatively, you can enter the Carrousel from the street at 99, Rue de Rivoli.

Though not as popular as the Pyramide entrance, the Carrousel has become a much more popular entrance and also has queues to enter the Louvre.

Through the Porte de Lions: This is a much lesser-used entrance along the side of the Louvre, and you must already have a ticket to enter. You cannot enter if you have a large bag or helmet, and this entrance is not open on Friday.

I used this entrance for the first time on my most recent trip to the Louvre and the line was non-existent, and you can enter directly into the far end of the Denon wing, where many of the most famous and beautiful paintings are.

You can find the location of this door here.

Final Thoughts

The Louvre is so much more than the Mona Lisa. There’s so much to see and admire, and the building is just as much a part of the experience as what’s hanging on the walls.

That said, it’s a museum that benefits from a little planning. It’s large, it can get crowded, and it’s easy to wander without much direction if you don’t have a game plan. With realistic expectations and a rough idea of what you want to see, though, a visit to the Louvre can be both manageable and a very memorable part of your trip to Paris.

Planning the Rest of Your Time in Paris?

Visiting the Louvre is just one small part of visiting Paris. If you’re continuing to plan the rest of your trip, these guides can help:

• Where to Stay in Paris – A neighborhood-by-neighborhood breakdown to help you choose the right base
• Ultimate List of Things to Do in Paris – Nearly 100 sights and experiences, from must-sees to hidden gems
• Unwritten Rules of Dining Out in France – Tips and tricks for how restaurants work, from ordering to paying

If you want everything in one place, my Paris travel guide page pulls together neighborhood guides, attraction and museum guides, foodie recommendations, and travel tips in one hub.

Pin for Later!