2-Hour Visit at the Louvre: My Must-sees Short Itinerary (2024)

FAQs

How do you spend 2 hours at the Louvre? ›

Is it possible to visit the Louvre in two hours? Yes. With the circuit that I present here, you'll walk by the most famous works of art in the museum and visit all three wings of the building.

The Louvre is one of the biggest museums in the world, featuring a grand total of 35,000 works of art from different periods and cultures. If you wanted to spend one minute in front of every Louvre artwork, it could very well take up to 65 days to see everything!

Generally, a standard visit to the Louvre Museum with which you can get an overall idea of its collections usually lasts between 2 and 3 hours on average.

* It's important to remember that if you arrive too late for your individual access slot, as depicted on your e-ticket, the bearer of that e-ticket will be subject to the same terms of access to The Louvre - and waiting in the general queue - as all other visitors.

Passage Richelieu Entrance

You can also take buses 21, 69, 72, N11, or N24 to get down at Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre bus stop and walk to the entrance. Entrance Timings: The museum entrance is every day, except for Tuesdays, from 9 AM to 6 PM. Average Wait Time: The average wait time will be between 10-15 minutes.

Choosing The Right Louvre Entrance

The best way to enter the Louvre Museum is to enter using any of the other three entrances. That said, don't leave the Louvre without visiting the Pyramid. The best route involves entering using any of the other 3 entrances and exiting through the Pyramid.

When is the best time of day to visit the Louvre? The best time to visit the Louvre is at night or during evening hours. Entry is cut off an hour prior to closing time, so arriving shortly beforehand yields fewer crowds.

If you are a regular visitor, you can become a member of the Amis du Louvre and skip the queues by entering the museum via the Richelieu entrance.

The best time to visit the Louvre is on Wednesday and Friday evenings when the museum is open until 9:45 pm. Experience the museum with fewer people and less noise. (You can even check out our evening tour at the Louvre.)

Can I take a backpack into the Louvre? ›

You cannot bring large bags or suitcases to the museum but lockers are available free of charge for smaller items. Please note: Any items exceeding 55 x 35 x 20 cm will not be allowed in the museum (welcome area and exhibition rooms).

Can I carry food and drinks inside the Louvre Museum? A. Yes, small snacks and food can be carried inside the Louvre Museum.

There is no Louvre dress code; you can wear what you want for visiting the Louvre. Just have in mind that you will walk A LOT. Wear comfortable shoes.

You can see the pyramid, Mona, Venus and Winged Victory in well under 3 hr. Art Buchwald wrote a column some years ago on how to do the 10-min Louvre. I think 3 hrs is about the maximum time one should spend in the Louvre at one visit. Anything more becomes 'sensory overload'.

When can we come? Every day except Tuesdays, 1 May, 25 December and 1 January. Time slots are available from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and on Friday night until 8 p.m.

Admission is free for all visitors on the first Friday of the month after 6 p.m. (except in July and August) and on 14 July (unless it falls on a Tuesday, when the museum is closed).

Free phone charging service

Phone charging lockers are available under the Pyramid.

Many visitors are under the impression that jeans are a major “no-no” when it comes to dressing for the Louvre. In fact, jeans are totally acceptable and lend themselves very well to a chic outfit. A pair of cuffed, well-tailored jeans are the perfect choice when dressing for the Louvre.

Best Time to Visit Louvre Museum

Better days of the week and times to visit the museum will be on Wednesday and Friday during low season and Monday and Thursdays during high season. The Louvre is also open till 9:45 during night openings, this also proves to be the best to visit to avoid crowds.

Guinness World Records lists Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa as having the highest ever insurance value for a painting. On permanent display at the Louvre in Paris, the Mona Lisa was assessed at US$100 million on 14 December 1962. Taking inflation into account, the 1962 value would be around US$970 million in 2022.

What are the busiest hours at the Louvre? ›

Long queues build up in the mornings from 11.00am on Saturdays and Sundays. These are clearly the busy times in the Louvre Museum. If you're an early riser, you can beat the long queues on Mondays and Thursdays by arriving between 9.00am to 10.30am.

But the queue for Monalisa is around an hour. And u can only spend around 3 mins in front of the Monalisa painting. And the painting is quite small actually but it is quite an excitement to queue all the way just for Monalisa.

Plan to spend at least two hours in the museum to see the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory of Samothrace, and a few pieces in between. If you plan to stay longer, there are six restaurants, cafes, and counters where you can grab a bite in the museum.

Ditch the crowds

Most visitors come to swell the queues in front of the Pyramid. So, choose the entrance via the Carrousel du Louvre shopping centre, which guarantees a smoother passage. In the evening, the crowds drop away significantly and the busiest rooms are much quieter.

Which station is closest to the Louvre? Because it's in the centre of the city, it's no exaggeration to say that the Louvre is surrounded by Metro stops. The closest stops are Louvre Rivoli and Palais Royal Musée du Louvre, both of which are on line 1, so ride to one of these if you'd prefer to get straight in.

But have no fear: There is an order to this chaos, and a few tips can turn even the most bewildered of Louvre-initiates into one who leaves the place a little smarter. The first thing to know is that the Louvre is crowded and hot, so don't expect echoing rooms air-conditioned to a comfortable 65 degrees.

One of the top ten most visited sites in France, the Château de Versailles gets its biggest crowds on the weekends and Tuesday mornings (it is closed on Mondays). So aim to visit between Wednesday and Friday. The result? Less waiting and a smoother visit around the palace.

The glass pyramid lights up at sunset, which means the timing varies. During winter and autumn, when nightfall is earlier in the day, the pyramid lights up early, allowing the visitors to enjoy the splendor for a longer duration. Before visiting, find out everything about Glass Pyramid at Louvre Museum.

INSIDR Tip: Don't forget to bring your passport with you when you shop at Carrousel du Louvre so you can directly claim your tax refund!

Even if you are entitled to free admission, we advise you to book a time slot in advance to make sure that you can get inside the museum. To do so, go to the online ticketing service, choose a time slot and select the 'free admission' option.

Is skip the line worth it in Paris? ›

Don't waste your time in Paris by standing in ticket lines when you don't have to. Skip-the-line (also called "fast-track" or "priority" or "reserved entry") tickets that let you book a specific date/time slot are almost always worth getting and are easy to buy online before you travel.

1: Buy your tickets to the Louvre on the official website. This is the official website to get tickets to the Louvre. You can get tickets via the official website up to three months in advance. Booking the tickets is incredibly easy: pick a day, pick a time slot, pay €17 per visitor and that's done.

Can I buy tickets at the Louvre? Sold out: there is always a risk of tickets to the Louvre being sold out. Only a limited number of tickets are available at non peak times.

Safety measures and advice

Mask wearing is recommended while inside the museum. You must use the hand sanitiser dispenser before entering the museum.

ARTICLE 4 Self-service lockers are available to visitors free of charge: visitors may deposit their personal belongings, including clothing, walking sticks, umbrellas, bags and luggage, excepting luggage exceeding 55 x 35 x 20 cm (including pockets, wheels and handles).

Admission is free for the following visitors:

Present official piece of ID. Present certificate of residence or valid piece of ID.

You can enter The Louvre Museum for free and also drink water without paying for it. But you need to have money incase you have to visit the loo! “Paris is always a good idea.” Paris is the capital and the most populated city of France.

Parisians themselves spend more time at their homes and offices where they have greater access to water. In any case, it is rare to see a Parisian with a bottle of water in hand while in public, which makes those of us who carry bottles of water stand out even more.

The top things to wear in Paris are berets, shades, blazers, shirts, dresses, trenchcoats, loafers, and boots. Men must not wear extremely short shorts, chunky sports shoes, sweatpants, graphic tees, and clothes with bright and bold words on them when in Paris.

Visiting the Louvre at night is a great way to explore the world-famous museum. Foot traffic is reduced after dark and the museum takes on a distinct atmosphere. Once inside, the Louvre has a special allure. The statues are illuminated, giving them a different feel from the daytime.

Is the Louvre strict on time? ›

Please note that if your tour is at the Louvre, the tickets are strictly timed, and the museum may not allow you access after 30 minutes. There can be no refunds from either Paris Muse or the Louvre. Louvre tickets are not transferable to another day or time.

Is it possible to visit the Louvre in two hours? Yes. With the circuit that I present here, you'll walk by the most famous works of art in the museum and visit all three wings of the building. The entrance and exit are located inside the pyramid.

You can proudly say that you have visited The Louvre. If you wish to expand your visit to three hours and Renaissance sculpture appeals to you, go down the stairs behind The Michelangelos. Then, ascend the stairs and go to where you came in. There is a great collection of Roman statues next to the exit.

It's impossible to see everything in one day. If you only have an hour or two, we recommend visiting the Denon wing, which houses some of the most famous masterpieces (Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, The Raft of the Medusa, and more).

Weekends are the busiest time to visit the Louvre museum, so it's best to plan your visit for a weekday. Because the museum is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays are usually busier, so Mondays and Thursdays are better options.

Beating the Crowds at the Louvre

The best time to visit the Louvre is on Wednesday and Friday evenings when the museum is open until 9:45 pm. Experience the museum with fewer people and less noise. (You can even check out our evening tour at the Louvre.)

You cannot bring large bags or suitcases to the museum but lockers are available free of charge for smaller items. Please note: Any items exceeding 55 x 35 x 20 cm will not be allowed in the museum (welcome area and exhibition rooms). All items left in the lockers must be collected the same day.

Even if you are entitled to free admission, we advise you to book a time slot in advance to make sure that you can get inside the museum. To do so, go to the online ticketing service, choose a time slot and select the 'free admission' option.

Good to know: Louvre tickets cover the whole museum and are valid the entire day, so you can come and go as you please. Security: You will need to go through a security check, so make sure not bring any sharp items with you. You can check in your belongings and retrieve them at the end of your visit.