Louvre (Musée du)

Formerly the residence of the Kings of France, the Louvre is one of the French capital’s most renowned sites. With its rich past and collections, it is one of the world’s greatest museums...
Its exhibition areas are divided into eight major sections: Near Eastern Antiquities; Egyptian Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities; Islamic Art; Sculptures; Decorative Arts, Paintings and Prints and Drawings. The best known of the Louvre’s extensive art collection is undoubtedly its most oft-visited and famous painting, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, located in the Renaissance Italian Paintings section.
The Winged Victory of Samothrace, the celebrated headless statue with outspread wings, and the Venus de Milo are two of the most frequently viewed Greek statues, while the Seated Scribe is one of the most emblematic pieces in the Egyptian Antiquities section.

ED

photo D.R.

Practical information

Louvre (Musée du)

Entrée principale par la Pyramide

75001

PARIS

Metro :

Palais Royal Musée du Louvre

Bus :

21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 76, 81, 95

telephone number :

01 40 20 53 17

fax :

01 40 20 54 42

www.louvre.fr

Access for persons with limited mobility

Tourisme & Handicap label

Mental

Auditif

Moteur

MUSEE DU LOUVRE

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Formerly the residence of the Kings of France, the Louvre has, for two centuries, been one of the world’s greatest museums. Its collections are divided into 8 departments: Oriental, Egyptian, Greek, Etrucscan and Roman Antiquities, Paintings, Sculptures, Art items, Islamic Art, and graphic art from the Middle Ages until 1848. Opened since April 2000, the "Pavillon des Sessions" displays some one hundred and twenty sculptures dedicated to the arts of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, complementing the collections at the Musée du quai Branly which opened in 2006 (www.quaibranly.fr). Cyber Louvre: multimedia place. Free access to 10 computers to view the Louvre website as well as those of other French and foreign museums (01.40.20.67.30). The Louvre in a few figures: 35,000 works spread over 60,600 sq m of rooms dedicated to permanent collections, 2,410 windows, 3,000 locks, and 10,000 steps. The rooms in the Islamic Arts department are closed from January 2008. New areas will open into the Cour Visconti around 2010.

Others informations

Architecturals styles :

Second empire style

List of collections :

Jewellery, Archaeology, Sculpture, Painting, Decorative Arts, Furniture, Antiques, Islamic arts, Graphic arts, Objets d'art

Collections period :

17th century, 19th century, 16th century

Garden :

The Tuileries gardens have been attached to the Louvre since January 2005.

Opening days and times

Open/Closed :

9 am to 6 pm

PLEASE NOTE : due to staff shortages the museum cannot keep all rooms open on a permanent basis. A week-by-week schedule details which collections will be closed, with the exception of rare modifications (renovation works, transport strikes, etc.). In order to check which galleries will be opened during your visit, look at the weekly calendar indicating which ones are open on the website : www.louvre.fr or by phone : 00 33 1 40 20 53 17.

:

July 14th : free entrance, closing time 6pm.
December 24th and 31st, closing time 5pm.

Cash desk closes at :

5.15pm or 9.15pm during late openings. The rooms start closing at 5.30pm or 9.30pm.

Days of week :

Open on those public holidays :

Horaire nocturne :

Wednesday and Friday: 9am-10pm.
August 15th 2007 9am-6pm.

Individual tours

Independant tour :

To avoid the queue, buy your ticket in advance via www.louvre.fr

PERMANENT COLLECTIONS: €9 - ticket valid for that day, for the Musée du Louvre (except Hall Napoléon) and the Musée Eugène-Delacroix.
. 6€ (6pm-9.45pm) : late-night opening Wednesday and Friday (except exhibitions in Hall Napoléon)
EXHIBITIONS IN HALL NAPOLEON: €9.50
COMBINED TICKET: €13 - access to permanent collections and to all temporary exhibitions at the Louvre and the Musée Eugène-Delacroix.
. €11 (6pm-9.45pm): access to permanent collections and to all temporary exhibitions at the Louvre on Wednesday and Friday evenings.
MULTIMEDIA GUIDE: a selection of works and choice of language: French, English, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, French sign-language. Multimedia guides can be hired from the Denon, Sully and Richelieu entrances. Prices: €2, 4, 6.

Guided tour :

Information: 01 40 20 52 63

Free :

For everyone on the first Sunday of each month and for under 26s every Friday from 6pm to 9.45pm. Free entrance to the Louvre and the musée Eugène-Delacroix on presentation of supporting documents, for under 18s, unemployed persons or those on benefit, with recent back-up documents (no older than 6 months); disabled visitors and accompanying adult (on presentation of a card). Free entrance is also granted to students from universities and art schools who have established partnership agreements with the museum, in support of its action in favour of young and underprivileged audiences; art history and fine arts teaching staff and all teachers who have accompanied at least one class during the year (valid for one year).

Free for children :

Free for under 26-year-olds during the Friday late opening from 6pm to 9.45pm.

Group tours

Group tour :

Compulsory booking. 25 persons maximum per group (see terms and conditions at www.louvre.fr). To book a group tour guide from the museum: by post: Musée du Louvre - Direction des publics - Activités avec conférenciers - 75058 Paris cedex 01. By telephone: 01 40 20 51 77. By fax: 01 40 20 84 58. Self-guided group tour with a leader or outside tour guide: by post: Musée du Louvre - Direction des publics - Groupes autonomes - 75058 Paris Cedex 01. By telephone: 01 40 20 57 60. By fax: 01 40 20 58 24

Services

Foreign language tour :

English. Spanish on request.

Foreign language information :

English, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Dutch, Korean.

Educational activities :

From ages 4 to 99: workshops (€4.50 for children/€8.50 for adults). General "Discovery visits" (€5).
Educational website of the museum: http://education.louvre.fr

Combined ticket :

Since 2004 the Musée Eugène-Delacroix has been connected with the Musée du Louvre. The entry ticket to the Musée du Louvre also allows you to visit the collections and temporary exhibitions at the Musée Eugène-Delacroix on the same day.

Wheelchair hire :

A special map shows disabled people how to move around the museum (18 lifts, 20 platforms).

Viewpoint :

View through the Carrousel du Louvre to Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe. The hundreds of windows give a variety of viewpoints over the Seine, the Cour Napoleon, the Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois Church, the Pont-Neuf and rue de Rivoli.

Restaurant :

Le Grand Louvre

Gifts shop :

Réunion des Musées Nationaux

Room hire :

contact the communication department :
tel: 01 40 20 53 89
nathalie.cuisinier@louvre.fr

Other services :

Museum & Monuments pass		Child minding		Animals welcome
Bookshop

Miscellaneous :

Taking film and photos in any of the exhibition spaces of the museum is strictly forbidden as is the use of cell phones. Likewise, eating and drinking is not allowed in the museum areas. Tactile area (plaster or resin figures representing original sculptures exhibited at the Louvre), documentation in braille. Visits-lectures in French sign language every month for deaf people and visit-lectures for sight-impaired people every month. Visits and workshops adapted for mentally-impaired persons. Activities for deaf and visually-impaired persons. Information: Tel. 01 40 20 59 90; E-mail. handicap@louvre.fr. Payment methods accepted: American Express, Eurocard-Mastercard, Visa, postal and banc cheques, cash, travellers cheques, ANCV holiday vouchers.