Louvre Museum: Tickets

Louvre Museum FAQs‍

1. Can I take photos at the Louvre?

• You are allowed to take photos of the personal collection if they are for personal use, yes. However - no selfie-sticks or flash, or lighting.

2. Can I bring bags to the Louvre?

• Handbags are allowed but larger bags such as luggage and suitcases are not allowed. There are some lockers available for smaller items as well if you don’t wish to carry them around.

3. What if the room I want to see is closed?

• Given the size of the museum, they are constantly renovating different spaces, so it is possible areas may be closed to the public. We suggest you check ahead of time. This Link shows the list of closed spaces.

4. How much time does it take to visit the Louvre?

• Given its size, it’s not actually possible to see everything in one day are there are more than 400 rooms! We suggest you concentrate on your preferred rooms and it normally takes around 2 hours plus to enjoy those spaces. For example the Denon wing contains multiple famous masterpieces including the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, The Raft of Meduca, amongst others, so a good place to start.

5. Can I re-enter the museum if I leave on my visit date?

• No. If you exit, you aren’t allowed back in unless you purchase another ticket I’m afraid. This is done to help manage visitor numbers and queue times.

6. Can I draw on my visit to the Louvre?

• Freehand pencil sketches are allowed in the permanent collection as long as they don’t exceed 50X40 cm on paper and as long as you aren’t blocking the view of movement of other visitors.

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Louvre Paris Fun Facts‍

• World's Largest Art Museum: The Louvre is the largest art museum in the world, covering over 782,000 square feet of gallery space, and housing over 380,000 artworks!
• Former Royal Palace: The Louvre was originally built as a fortress in the 12th century by King Philip II. It was then converted into a royal palace, and finally transformed into a public museum after the French Revolution in 1793!
• The Mona Lisa's Home: The Louvre is famously home to Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, which is arguably the world’s most famous painting. It’s displayed in a special climate-controlled room to protect it from damage.
• A Glass Pyramid Entrance: The iconic glass pyramid entrance was completed in 1989 and is now one of the most recognizable symbols of the Louvre.
• The Pyramid's Secret Geometry: The glass pyramid has exactly 673 glass panes, not 666 as an urban legend once claimed!
• Millions of Visitors: Pre-pandemic, the Louvre saw around 10 million visitors each year, making it the most visited museum in the world!
• Napoleon Renamed It: When Napoleon Bonaparte was in power, he renamed the museum the Musée Napoléon and kept some artworks he “acquired” during his conquests. After his defeat, many were returned to their countries of origin.
• Thousands of Artists, Countless Works: It would take about 100 days to see every piece in the Louvre if you spent 30 seconds on each one!
• Home to Ancient Artefacts: The Louvre houses incredible ancient artefacts, including the ‘Code of Hammurabi’ (one of the oldest written laws in history) and the ‘Great Sphinx of Tanis’, an Egyptian sphinx statue dating back to 2600 BC!
• ‍The Most Famous Theft: In 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen by a museum employee who believed it should be returned to Italy. The painting was recovered two years later and is now secured with heavy glass and around-the-clock surveillance!