Tips for Visiting the Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum is the largest museum in the world.  It’s also a must-visit for anyone interested in art while they are visiting Paris.  In this blog I will give you some tips on how to make the most out of your Louvre visit.  Also, tips on how to navigate the museum efficiently and effectively.

The Louvre Museum is located on the right bank of the Siene on Rue de Rivoli.  The museum is open daily from 9am to 6pm.  (closed on Tuesdays).  On Wednesdays and Fridays, they close at 9:45pm.  There is no entrance fee on the first Saturday of the month.

My first tip when visiting the Louvre is to purchase tickets online to access quick entry to the museum.  Avoid the long lines at the most popular entrance, the Pyramid entrance, and enter at the center of the Louvre’s courtyard.  Also, try to pick an early time to visit.  The later the day, the larger the crowds.

The Louvre Museum was originally built and used as a royal palace.  This place is massive!  It would take a person 100 days to see all the art inside the museum.  The second tip that I have is if you only want to spend a couple of hours there, only see what is important to you.  There are free maps available at the entrance.  Most of the famous pieces of art are highlighted by section or wing.

When I visited last November, I knew I had to see the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, The Raft of the Medusa and Liberty Leading the People.  It wasn’t too difficult finding everything on my list.  I was able to locate the artwork in an hour.  On the way to Liberty, I got confused with which direction to go, so I asked a Louvre attendant for help.  There are at least two or three attendants in each room that speak multiple languages.  Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask them for directions.  They are more than happy to help.

The last tip I have will make your Louvre visit less expensive.  Don’t stock up on souvenirs at the museum.  I saw several souvenir shops throughout the museum.  While we were exiting the museum, we had to make our way through a mall! Yes, a mall with all kinds of shops and boutiques.  I bought most of my souvenirs at the gift shops across the street from the Louvre Museum on Rue de Rivoli.  There are a lot of shops in the area that sell souvenirs and the prices are excellent.

I hope the tips I listed above will help you on your next Louvre Museum visit.  If you have another tip, leave a comment below.