Background Information
The Louvre Museum is considered one of the most renowned art museums in the world. Located in Paris, France, it was opened to the public in 1793 and houses a vast collection of art and sculptures, yet it is most famous for the iconic Mona Lisa (La Gioconda) by Leonardo da Vinci. The international attendance accounting for around 8.5 million people per year, making it the most-visited art museum in the world.
The Louvre Museum itself is covered by a vast area of more than 210,000 sq m and contains around 35,000 works of art. Most of these displays are located throughout the central and side galleries and for visitors who want to be exposed to centuries of art in one visit, which is why it’s important to know approximately how long it would take to see the Louvre Museum.
Understanding the Layout
A full, comprehensive visit of the Louvre Museum would usually require one to two full days at least. Yet, if you’re in a hurry, a visit of two to three hours should allow visitors to see the main pieces of art, such as the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and the Coronation of Napoleon.
As the Louvre Museum is divided into eight distinct sections, it should be noted that to be able to enjoy the entire collection, it would require a much longer visit, as each section contains unique works of art that may require additional time to appreciate them. Thus, it is always recommendable to plan ahead and divide your time as efficiently as possible among each of the sections.
Key Areas to Visit
The Grande Galerie is one of the key areas to visit upon plenty of time to appreciate the works of art on display. This section is where many of the iconic pieces of painting, such as the Mona Lisa or the Victory of Samothrace, reside. The Denon Passages and the Sully Passages are two other major sections to include in your visit. While the former houses mainly Egyptology, it is the latter where visitors will find furnishings, pottery and sculptures from the Middle Ages to modern times. The Richelieu Wing is also another area of importance located here, as it is dedicated to graphic arts and paintings from the last few centuries, such as works by Francisco Goya and Rembrandt.
How to Best Enjoy the Experience
As beautifully complex as the Louvre Museum is, it may overwhelm some visitors with the sheer amount of content presented. To really appreciate the magnitude of the Louvre Museum and to truly enjoy its artworks, it is recommended that visitors spend at least one full day in this iconic art museum, by taking it all in a single pace and allowing themselves to appreciate the pieces of art one at a time. It is also important to obtain a vault map prior to entering the museum, as this will make easier to have an efficient plan to follow as you tour the museum.
What’s Included in the Ticket?
The Louvre Museum is a fee-entry museum and tickets are usually valid for two consecutive days. This allows visitors to come back at the same entrance the following day and continue their visit if needed. Special features such as audioguides and multimedia guides are also available on some of the tickets, as well as guided visits or special family tickets for holders aged under 26.
Expert Perspectives
“It is impossible to see the Louvre Museum in a single day,” states Jean-Marc Luchet, head curator at the museum. “The entire collection of 35,000 pieces of art means it would take at least two consecutive days to appreciate it in its entirety.”
Jacques-Henri Bernardin, another expert in art history and former lecturer at the Louvre Museum, adds that one should approach the Louvre Museum with a specific plan of visiting key areas that interest the most. “Focus on a few collections at a time, such as the Italian paintings or the French sculptures, so that your visit becomes more enjoyable and proficient,” adds Bernardin.
Trip Preparation
In preparation of visiting the Louvre Museum it is important to plan ahead and do some prior research of the many areas and exhibits in the museum, as it may contain pieces of art that you would like to take the time to appreciate in full. It’s also recommendable to wear comfortable shoes and to also consider where to buy snacks, as lines in the museum can be long and you’ll most likely get hungry.
Opening and Closing Times
The Louvre Museum is opened from 9 am to 6 pm every day, except Tuesdays, when it is open from 9 am until 9:45 pm. It is always recommendable to arrive earlier than the designated opening times as the queue to enter the museum can get quite long. The same applies for the closing times, as the museum will close early if it reaches its daily attendee limit.
Cost of Admission
The Louvre Museum’s ticket cost can vary from the standard ticket prices, which is 17 Euros, to several variations of tickets and subscriptions, such as family specials, student discounts or temporary exhibitions. The ticket is valid for two consecutive days, so visitors can visit the museum twice within a given period of time.
Availability of Online Tickets
Tickets to enter the Louvre Museum can be purchased either online or through ticket offices within the museum itself. Purchasing online is the fastest and more time efficient way to get tickets, as passes to the Louvre Museum can be expensive and desired times to visit the museum may not always be available at ticket offices.
How to Avoid Queues
As the Louvre Museum is known to reach its daily limit quite earlier and queues can be extremely long, it is advisable to get an online ticket at least one day in advance. This will allow you to enter the museum quicker as tickets obtained in the ticket offices within the museum may not always be available and queues can get even longer as the day passes.
What Type of Art is Displayed
The Louvre Museum is known for displaying centuries of diverse artwork, such as paintings and sculptures, but it also houses many ancient artifacts, such as coins, vases and wristwatches, as well as Islamic Art pieces, oriental and Egyptian art, Roman remains and architectural elements.
Photography
Most paints and sculptures within the Louvre Museum can be photographed and shared on social media, as long as the flash is turned off and the focus is kept on the artwork and not on other visitors or objects nearby. This means that visitors can take pictures within the museum, although it might be restricted near some pieces of art.
Security
The security in the Louvre Museum is quite rigorous and every visitor is subjected to a bag check as well as an inspection of their ticket prior to entering. Security guards are also authorized to perform spotchecks of visitors’ belongings at any given time, so it is always recommendable to keep the passport or ID close to the body during the whole visit.
Conclusion
The Louvre Museum is one of the most iconic art galleries in the world and it is understandable why visitors would like to take some time to appreciate its collection by visiting it. Although a quick visit of only two or three hours should give visitors the opportunity to see some of the most important artworks, such as the Mona Lisa or the Venus de Milo, a full visit of the museum requiring around one or two full days of sightseeing is ideal.
