Musée du Louvre in Paris 1st - Paris Monument

Nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 19th century are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square meters. The Musée du Louvre, or officially the Grand Louvre — in English, the Louvre Museum or Great Louvre, or simply the Louvre — is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited museum in the world, and a historic monument. It is a central landmark of Paris, France and is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement (district).

During the French Revolution, the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum, to display the nation's masterpieces. The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace (Palais du Louvre) which began as a fortress built in the late 12th century under Philip II. Remnants of the fortress are still visible. The building was extended many times to form the present Louvre Palace. In 1672, Louis XIV chose the Palace of Versailles for his household, leaving the Louvre primarily as a place to display the royal collection, including, from 1692, a collection of antique sculpture. In 1692, the building was occupied by the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres and the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture, which in 1699 held the first of a series of salons.

In 1848 the museum became the property of the State. With an annual budget devoted to aquiring new art, the collections continued to grow. Private donations also augmented the Museum's holdings.

Address: Pyramide - Cour Napoléon, 75001 Paris

Opening hours:

Metro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre

RER: Museum: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Late night opening: Monday (Richelieu Wing) and Wednesday: 9.45 p.m & Pyramid: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. - Museum

Bus: 21, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 76, 95