Louvre

The Louvre is a massive museum.  It is essentially, many museums combined into one, with enough material to keep a visitor busy for months.  The size of the Louvre is also one of it's biggest challenges.  It is possible to see it all, but not really absorb or enjoy the material.

On a trip to Paris a few years back, I stumbled onto the best way to see the Louvre and really enjoy what it has to offer.   Take many small trips.  I was working at the time, so I would get out of work and head straight to the Louvre and tour till closing.  Going late in the day has several advantages,  the best one being that there is hardly anyone there!  I walked right up to the Mona Lisa one night, and there was no one else around.  I just got to take my time and take pictures (No flash) to my hearts content.

The other benefit of this approach is that you can avoid museum burn out!  I took maybe five separate trips to the Louvre, for about two hours each time.  It is much easier to appreciate the little things and make wonderful discoveries when you focus each trip on only one of the areas inside the Louvre at a time.  When you have had enough, leave and go get a nice cup of coffee!

Some things to remember - the metro stop for the Louvre closes before the museum does, I remember that I had to walk to a nearby stop when I left after closing.   Also, don't forget the fabulous gift shops.  Although expensive, it is one of the few places in the world where you can get museum quality replicas and engravings.   Finally, remember that the Louvre offers student discounts, so bring your student ID card!

It took me 22 years to eventually find an opportunity to visit Le Louvre... :)

No description needed of this museum...

It really is massive. I spent there one afternoon and visited :

- The Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities
- The Egyptian antiquities
- The Italian paintings

About the "stars" of the museum, I have to admit I was a bit disappointed by La Joconde... Too many people around, pushing to get a picture and finally no opportunity to really look at her and share something with this painting.
The Venus of Milo was a better experience ; there were less people around, we can be close to her and really look at her. She is amazingly simple, just beautiful and real... (well, a bit taller than any woman though :p).


I was really impresed by some the ceilings... wow...... amazing. All the collections are wide and interesting.

It is great to travel time and history in such a museum, definitly a must-see !!!!

One afternoon is not enough to see most of the museum, but anyway we could not have stayed longer because it is really exhausting!! A lot of people and a lot of walk to do just to wander in the galeries :P
I hope to go back there before I leave Paris because I missed some paintings I would have loved to see and the Islamic art exhibition...

Moreover, I would like to take some pictures as I forgot my memory card at home today... I only could take 10 pics but luckily my cousin had her camera. However, it is never the same than taking your own pics.

To be continued, I hope very soon : it is free for people under 26 on Fridays night (from 6PM :) and free for anybody on the first Sunday of each month !

Europe's oldest & greatest museum, starring the Mona Lisa & Venus de Milo. Walking through the Louvre was amazing. The Louvre is well worth seeing if you are a lover of history and art. This is a place where the day can pass you by and you come out wondering where the time has gone. The Louvre consists of four levels- massive floors. Each floor show between 2 and 6 themes and make sure you have a map when you go in because you cannot see everything in one day. However, my dad (who does not like crowded places) was overwhelmed by the crowd. Get there early & head strait to the Mona Lisa! Also, this is a great area to go to because the Arc de Triomphe is visible as well as a beautiful park running adjacent.

My tip: Get here early. It was a little bit after 9:00 am on a week day when I got here and lucky enough there was no line. I took my time browsing paintings, sculptures and so on. The Louvre in itself is already a sight on its own. The famous glass pyramid which is also the main entrance.
I didn't even know where to begin after I had purchased my ticket. So I started by discovering what the Louvre had been before. A fort and a castle! Parts of the wall are on display. I loved the Egyptian part. My dream is to see the pyramids and sphinx so this was a little taste of that. I only loosely followed a map unless there was something that caught my eye while walking by the signs of orientation.
Recommended of course are the "Venus de Milo" and the "Winged Victory of Samothrace" which has a great spot on top of the Daru staircase. I can't even name all of the many, many paintings I saw. Of course the "Mona Lisa" which was way smaller then what I had expected. Napoleon's former apartment was also very impressive. You feel like royalty just walking in the halls of this beautiful museum. If you come to Paris you just have to take a day to visit the Louvre. Even if you are not an art buff you will enjoy this place.
As a souvenir I bought "The little book of The Louvre" otherwise I would probably not remember any of the sculpture's names. ;-)
Give yourself at least a whole day to enjoy this place. It's not enough time to see all but you'll get a good dose of it. ;-)

Suggest going in through the Metro. It is found close to the main pyramid and you wont have to wait in line. I have been there numerous amount of times and the only line encountered through the metro entrance was once during Christmas.

Enjoy

The Louvre is maybe the most famous museum in the whole world, so when you visit Paris, this museum is absolutely a must. Because the museum has more artworks then you can possibly see in one day, it's a good idea if you make a plan for yourself which parts of the museum you want to see. Most people go directly to the Mona Lisa but there's so much more, in fact, the Mona Lisa isn't one of my favorites at all. Make sure that you don't plan a visit to the Louvre at the same day as a visit to another museum. I will probably be to much art when you do that. A ticket to the Louvre isn't really expensive. Students can get tickets for a reduced price and one Sunday per month, the museum is free for everybody. Tickets are also free when you have a 'Paris carte'.

the best museum ever and one need at least 2 days for see everything inside it...

Presumed you are not an outright ignorant philistine this museum is a must-see. The Louvre is a former royal palace and now one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. Considering that the Louvre hosts more than 300,000 works of art the pricing is moderate (my opinion).

It does sound strange but to me its size is the only drawback. You could easily spend a week inside the endless passages and hallways. Even if you just to want to catch a glimpse of the most famous pieces - like "La Gioconda" (Mona Lisa), Venus de Milo, Winged Victory of Samothrace, The Rembrandt's "pilgrims of Emmaus" or "La Liberté guidant le peuple" - it can take hours. This museum is huuuge!
Do not queue up at the entrance without a plan what you want to see. Otherwise you could get lost. I have visited the Louvre three times so far. And everytime I go there the number of artworks I have not seen before seems to be bigger!

Talking of the "entrance". If possible try to start your visit early in the morning. The museum opens its doors at 9 a.m. Be there at 8:45 and you run the chance of walking inside without having to wait too long. Later in the morning waiting in the line can take half an hour - or longer.

Most people who visit the Louvre want to see the "Mona Lisa". Well, this picture is world famous. Probably priceless. But viewing it behind safety glass together with dozens if not hundreds of other pushing and scrambling tourists is not an enjoyable experience. Can be rather disappointing.
Tip: Take your time for some of the less popular - but sometimes even more beutiful - artworks.

Please note:
The museum is closed on Tuesdays!

The Louvre is one of the oldest, largest, most famous and most visited (8.3 million visitors in 2006 alone) museums in the entire world. It is located in Paris, France on the bank of the Seine River not far from Notre Dame Cathedral. Le Louvre is the home to many famous masterpieces such as Leondardo DaVinci’s Mona Lisa, Alexandros of Antioch’s Venus de Milo and many more paintings, sculptures, artifacts and antique furniture.
The structure’s contruction began in 1535 after a castle that was previously located on the property was demolished. Pierre Lescot was the architect behind this brilliant project and designed the palace in true Renaissance style. The building housed members for the French royalty until King Louis XIV relocated his royal court to the Palace of Versailles. Since 1793 the Louvre has had it’s doors open to the public as the museum we know today.
Over the years several wings were added onto the palace. King Henry IV, for instance, added the Grande Galerie. He invited hundreds upon hundreds of artists and craftsmen to live and work on the buildings bottom floors. Upon doing so, the Louvre became the longest building of its kind in the world. Subsequent French kings added additional wings such as the Richelieu Wing (commissioned by Louis XIII).
As recently as the 1980’s additions were being made to the buildings décor. In 1989 I.M.Pei inaugurated a glass pyramid to be placed in the courtyard in front of the Louvre. The pyramid served as a new entrance to the museum. Many Parisians felt that the glass pyramid was far too modern for the museum and to this day it serves up quite a debate.
There is a reason why so many people return to the Louvre visit after visit. There is simply so much to see that every time you go you see or learn something new. The museum houses 6000 European paintings dating from the 13th century to the 19th century. Its largest collection is of drawings and prints amounting to an impressive 130,000. There are approximately 400,000 pieces of artwork and artifacts housed at the Louvre. The galleries are separated into Oriental antiquities, Egyptian antiquities, Greek and Roman antiquities, Sculptures, Furniture and Objects of Art, and paintings. If you were to spend 10 seconds in front of each item, eight hours a day, five days a week it would take 4 whole months to get through the Louvre! This being said, make sure you grab a handy museum map as you enter the building so you don’t get lost. There are signs throughout the museum indicated the directions to major pieces. The collection can be overwhelming or awe inspiring, depending on how you look at it.
Expect to find a decent sized queue waiting to view the Mona Lisa. Also be warned that no flash photography is allowed of the painting. There is a sign next to it in about every language possible telling you so, so it will be hard to play stupid on this one. Be sure to spend time with the other paintings in this room as well. While the Mona Lisa is famous, it really isn’t all that fascinating in person. It’s small, and given the distance between you and the painting you can’t make out all of the details. If you’re in a mad rush, simply stand next to the queue and see it from beside the line, the view is the same…I promise.
Be sure to check out the sculptures. There are some fantastic pieces that beg to be seen.
I am fairly certain that every time I visit the great city of Paris, the Louvre will be on my “Must See” list time and time again. It is an amazing place that I think everyone should see if given the opportunity. There are several shops located in the building if you would like to pick up a mini Mona Lisa as well as a food court that serves food from around the world at a reasonable price. Expect to wait in lines and if you’re traveling with a large group, try to snag a table as soon as you see it (even if it’s before you send someone into the line) because it may be hard to get a table here. The food has been delicious each and every time I’ve been here. Everyone in my group ate at a different “country” and we all enjoyed our food.

It is hard to write a review of the Louvre. As the worlds largest museum it has many famous works. Even in you are only in Paris for a day this museum is a must see. Here are some of the most notable works:

Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa
Winged Victory of Samothrace
Alexandros of Antioch's Venus de Milo
Sculptures gallery
Napoleon III’s royal apartments.
Leonardo Da Vinci's The Virgin and Child with St. Anne
Leonardo Da Vinci's Madonna of the Rocks
Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People
Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana

And dont forget about the Ancient Egypt area either!

After I saw The Da Vinci Code I decided I have to see the lourve.
The museam itself is a stunning building and has been used for many different things throughout history. Standing alongside the Seine it demands attention. Probably the most famous and recognisable feature of the museam is the huge glass pyramid that is the entrance as well as the inverted glass pyramid in the center of the nearby roundabout.

The inside is stunning with painted walls, ceilings, stone archways and every room is different and equally impressive.

We really only wanted to see the most famous painting in the world, The Mona Lisa. Behind the glass case and guards on either side, the small painting is not really that amazing, what is awesome is the history behind it and just being in it's presence is awe inspiring.

The Lourve is great and I would go again, but I would recommend reading up about it's contents and giving yourself a whole day to get around it as there is so much to see.

I've been to the Louvre 3 times and it's always incredible. Each time I try to see some part of it I've never seen and mix that with my favorites. They have almost everything you can want if you are an art lover... And if you love architecture, the sheer magnificence of the building is enough to move you.

The admission price is not cheap, but definitely worth it. You can also try and find out which sunday every month they have free entrance for all. The pyramids... well, you can either love them or hate them, but you'd still love the old building. Make a point of entering the museum by the central pyramid entrance. There are others, but your first time has to have all the impact that courtyard can provide.

As well as the museum, there is the Carrousel du Louvre, a small yet very fancy shopping mall. Try to look for the smallest shop in the mall, where they sell iron replicas of knights, kings and heros. It's lovely! There are a few (not so great) fast-food places also, but you cannot take food inside the museum.

Besides the museum and the mall, you can cross the street at Rue de Rivoli to see a hidden wonder - Les antiquaires du Louvre (the Louvre's Antiquariums). Lots and lots of wonderful pieces for sale. A bit too expensive for the average tourist, it's still worth a visit just to look at things.

Everyone has heard that story that says if you spend 5 seconds looking at each painting at the Louvre, you wouldn't come out of there alive. And we don't want that to happen, right? The information folder is your new best friend. Just pick your favorite expositions and go for it. The price is pretty much average for Paris' standards, but besides that, the Louvre is even great just to look at.

This one time, my cousins and I were walking around the park, where the pyramids sit, and suddenly decided to go inside - even though the museum was already closed. The only thing opened was the underground to the pyramids, a mall-like place. We had to run to get inside, and the last of us even had to skip the security guard, who was closing the door. I don't think they tolerate stuff like that anymore... Still, totally worth it. Just being around it makes you feel smart.

Just, please, ignore the Da Vinci Code bullshit.

Have only been here once, but the sheer size of the collection is mind boggling. I did a quick tour of the main highlights - Winged Victory, Venus De Milo, Mona Lisa, and some of the Italian Renaissance art - and that was already enough to take up most of the afternoon. I can see how people might spend a few days here and still not see everything they want to see. The only mild disappointment was the Mona Lisa -- The huge mass of people bumping and shouting their way to get closer to the surprisingly tiny painting sort of ruined the beauty of the scene.