Musée du Louvre
Without a doubt, the Louvre is the most famous art museum in the world. The fame is more than justified: the museum holds over 35,000 works of art, including such treasures as the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the overpowering Nike of Samothrace. Works are divided into eight different departments and span from the earliest ancient civilizations to 1848.
The building itself is a masterpiece, boasting a history as intriguing as many of the pieces it contains. Built in the 12th century as a fortress, the Louvre was transformed into a residence by Francois I, and was later used briefly as a royal palace by the legendary Louis XIV. Following the French Revolution in 1789, the National Assembly decreed that the building should "gather together all the monuments of the sciences and the arts." Doors to the museum opened on August 10, 1793. Today, the gorgeously ornate complex offers 60,000 square feet of exhibition space, which houses the museum's permanent collection and ever-changing rotation of temporary exhibits.
The Louvre offers several private reception areas, including the 400-meter Sully Rotunda; a 420-seat, state-of-the-art auditorium; and the 2,500-square-meter Hall Napoléon, which is dramatically topped by the museum's famous I.M. Pei-designed glass pyramid. The museum itself can be hired out for private tours, providing a unique option for a group activity.
The museum is open Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 9 AM to 6 PM and Wednesday and Friday from 9 AM to 9:45 PM. General admission is €9. Admission Wednesday and Friday from 6 PM to closing is €6. For more information: +33 14 020 5760
