About the Louvre
The Louvre is the world's most-visited museum with 10 million annual visitors and 35,000 artworks displayed across 72,735 square meters. A former royal palace, it houses masterpieces spanning 9,000 years of human civilization - from ancient Mesopotamia to 19th-century European painting.
Without a guide, most visitors spend hours wandering overwhelmed. Expert guides navigate you straight to highlights while explaining the stories behind iconic works.
⏰ Opening Hours & Best Times
- Hours: 9 AM - 6 PM (Wed/Fri until 9:45 PM). Closed Tuesdays.
- Best time: Wednesday/Friday evenings (fewer crowds)
- Least crowded: First hour (9-10 AM) or after 5 PM
- Avoid: Sundays and first Sunday of month (free admission = massive crowds)
💰 Costs
- Entry ticket: €22 (book online to skip ticket line)
- Free: Under 18, EU residents under 26, first Saturday of month 6-9:45 PM
- Group guided tours: €60-90 per person (2-3 hours, skip-the-line)
- Private art historian: €300-500 for up to 6 people (3 hours)
- Audio guide: €5 (okay but lacks expert insights)
Skip-the-line essential: Security lines can be 2+ hours. Guides use dedicated entrance.
🎯 Why Use a Guide
- Navigate overwhelming scale: See highlights efficiently in 2-3 hours vs. wandering lost
- Art history expertise: Understand symbolism, techniques, historical context
- Skip security lines: Guides enter via Group entrance - save hours
- Hidden gems: Discover lesser-known masterpieces beyond Mona Lisa crowds
✨ Must-See Masterpieces
- 🖼️ Mona Lisa - Leonardo da Vinci's enigmatic portrait (arrive early to avoid 100-person crowds)
- 🗿 Venus de Milo - Ancient Greek statue of Aphrodite (130-100 BC)
- 🏛️ Winged Victory of Samothrace - Dramatic Hellenistic sculpture
- 🎨 Liberty Leading the People - Delacroix's French Revolution masterpiece
- 👑 Napoleon's Apartments - Opulent royal rooms
- 🏺 Code of Hammurabi - 3,800-year-old Babylonian law tablet
- ⚰️ Egyptian antiquities - Mummies, sarcophagi, Sphinx
📝 Practical Tips
- Book tickets online: louvre.fr - timed entry required
- Entrance: Pyramid is crowded - use Carrousel or Porte des Lions
- Plan 3-4 hours minimum: Could spend days, but see highlights in half-day
- Wear comfortable shoes: Marble floors, lots of walking
- Photography: Allowed (no flash), but not in Napoleon's Apartments
- Food: Cafés inside expensive - eat before or bring snacks