I can already tell this is going to be a long one, so strap in and get ready for your how-to guide on surviving the largest museum in the world: the Louvre.
The Louvre is one of, if not the most iconic museum in the world. Located in the heart of Paris, its famous glass pyramid (which is only 30 years old) sits in the center of three buildings, forming a U-shape and amassing five stories with multiple wings.
Housing tens of thousands of artifacts including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and (my personal favorite) Liberty Leading the People, this is THE place to be for any museum lover. The Louvre has it all, from paintings to sculptures, to even mummies.
However, being the largest museum in the world, I don’t think I can overestimate how much you need to be prepared before you go. That’s why this post is dedicated to two things: what to prepare for, and what to expect.
Let’s start with what you’ll need to prepare for your trip.
For the love of all that is good in the world please, please, PLEASE make a cohesive list of what you want to see BEFORE you go! This will save you time so you’re not running around like a headless chicken, and gives you an opportunity to research which artifacts are in the museum, which you really want to see, and which you can really skip. Try to make important notes such as floor level, wing section, and room number. NOTE: make sure you research which areas are closed for renovations though, I learned that the hard way by not being able to see the Apollo Gallery.
Next tip: pack light. Backpacks in museums, especially crowded museums are one of my ultimate pet peeves. Yes, we’re all trying to get that perfect shot of the Mona Lisa, but your backpack is taking up so much space I can’t even see her. (I got there eventually but more on that later). I recommend bringing a hip bag because frankly, all you need is your phone, wallet, map, water, granola bars, and maybe a small portable charger.
Speaking of which, let’s talk snackies. Most museums have rules against eating in the exhibitions (for obvious reasons), but this girl has to feed herself for a month and is NOT about to go spend 15€ on a little sandwich from the museum restaurant. So first and foremost, eat breakfast before you go, and a good one filled with protein and carbs, you’ll burn it off by walking for five hours. But pack some granola bars or biscuits with you too, to eat in a corner by the bathroom when the guard’s not looking, because you’ve been walking for a long time and need a boost of energy.
Now for the obvious: water. I know you’ll hear everybody and their third cousin tell you this, but please bring water with you, you WILL get tired and need it. Also, the Louvre is not as air conditioned as I thought it would be, and did end up getting hot from the crowds multiple times, so be prepared. But of course, follow the same rules as eating your snack: when nobody is lookin or when you’re away from exhibits. Please don’t crack open your cold one in front of a statue and a guard, they won’t be as understanding.
Next is shoes. Though you’re not exactly walking on rough terrain in the Louvre, it’s not the largest museum in the world without the exhaustion and shin splints to prove it. Bring shoes that are comfortable, mold to your feet, and can withstand both walking AND standing in line. Sure, you may not end up with the sexiest footwear in the world, but at least you won’t hate yourself at the end of the day.
Finally, I recommend getting the Louvre app, as it’s a moderately easy to use app. You can’t simply type in which artifact you want, which irks me, but can show you a live map of where you are in the museum. To look for a specific artifact, you’ll have to scroll through different categories, however when you find it, you can find out everything from its description to its location.
Now that we’ve got through the preparation, let’s talk about expectations. What I believed my trip would be like, and what actually happened where two completely different things. The Louvre is a giant maze, and as a first time visitor, I was completely dumbfounded when I walked in and nearly threw my whole plan out. Tour groups and single visitors brush past you constantly that you’ll never get that perfect angle on a photo unless you’re ready to put on you American pants and throw some elbows. So to help, I’ve included some highlights from my trip and I’ll include categories such as description, location, level of ease to find, and number of elbows thrown for said picture.
Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix
Level 1 / Denon Wing / Room 700
Find-ability: 8/10 (it was in the first wing we walked through on the wall)
Elbows Thrown: Some Elbows (we found it because there was a crowd around it, but it wasn’t that big)
Joan of Arc at the Coronation of King Charles VII in Reims Cathedral by Jean-Auguste-Dominique INGRES
Level 1 / Denon Wing / Room 700
Find-ability: 10/10 (she’s right before you exit the gallery)
Elbows Thrown: None (she wasn’t very popular)
St. Michael Slaying the Devil by Raphael
Level 1 / Denon Wing / Grande Galerie
Find-ability: 8/10 (like Liberty, this is relatively easy to find, and is close to the Mona Lisa)
Elbows Thrown: None (everyone was focused on getting to the Mona Lisa)
I really don’t think I need to caption this but I’ll do it anyway
Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci
Level 1 / Denon Wing / Room 711 (the Mona Lisa Room)
Find-ability: 10/10 (ok, I know I’ve complained about how much of a maze this museum is, but if you can’t find the Mona Lisa, you can’t find your way out of a paper bag. There is no other artifact in the Louvre that has more publicity and signs pointing you in the direction of it, more than the Mona Lisa)
Elbows Thrown: ALL THE ELBOWS (ALL. THE. DAMN. ELBOWS. WERE. THROWN. FOR. THIS. PICTURE.)
I couldn’t leave without proving that I got to the front though
Flying Mercury by Giambologna
Level 0 / Denon Wing / Room 403
Find-ability: 7/10 (he’s kind of off to the side and the lighting from the window makes it hard to see and take pictures of)
Elbows Thrown: None
Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss by Antonio Canova
Level 0 / Sully Wing / Room 403
Find-ability: 8/10 (they are right as you’re leaving the gallery, however they are usually hidden behind a crowd of visitors)
Elbows Thrown: A Few
The Victory of Samothrace
Level 1 / Denon Wing / Daru Staircase
Find-ability: 9/10 (much like the Mona Lisa, this is a piece you can’t miss even if you tried. However, there are no signs pointing to it, so you must find the staircase yourself, but after that you’re good)
Elbows Thrown: A Good Amount (it’s at the top of a staircase, so there is limited safe picture taking space)
The Venus de Milo by Cyclades
Level 0 / Sully Wing / Parthenon Room
Find-ability: 7/10 (I did get turned around a few times, but when it comes to these iconic statues, you really just need to look where crowds are gathered)
Elbows Thrown: A Moderate Amount of Elbow (I managed to push my way to the front but this guy was in the PERFECT spot and stood there for a solid four minutes before I pushed my way next to him to settle for an off-angle shot)
Hermaphroditus Asleep
Level 0 / Sully Wing / Salle des Caryatides
Find-ability: 5/10 (this gallery was by far the hardest thing to find. We kept getting turned around and when we finally got here, the sculpture was tucked away in a corned with a hard of visitors)
Elbows Thrown: A Few (I had to get pictures from both sides)
Diana of Versailles
Level 0 / Sully Wing / Salle des Caryatides
Find-ability: 7/10 (the gallery was difficult to find, but once we got in there she was in the middle so it was fine)
Elbows Thrown: None
Great Sphinx of Tanis
Level 0 / Sully Wing / Crypt of the Sphinx
Find-ability: 8/10 (the sphinx sits between the entrance to the Medieval Louvre and the Egypt exhibits, so it is not hard to miss, just smaller than I thought and surrounded by visitors)
Elbows Thrown: A Few
Winged Human-Headed Bulls
Level 0 / Richelieu Wing / Mesopotamia Room
Find-ability: 7/10 (I was half looking for them and half just kinda hoping I’d bump into them)
Elbows Thrown: None (just had to wait for enough people to move so I could get a good picture)
Hammurabi’s Code
Level 0 / Richelieu Wing / Mesopotamia Room
Find-ability: 7/10 (I remember knowing we were close when we found the human-headed bulls, but the room was still a little difficult to find
Elbows Thrown: None (it’s not nearly as popular as the exhibits on the other side of the museum)
Napoleon III Apartments
Level 1 / Richelieu Wing / Room 544
Find-ability: 9/10 (there are some signs that lead you when you get close, and once you get there it’s almost like you’re transported out of the Louvre and into a castle)
Elbows Thrown: Not Too Many
Well, if you’ve made it this far, your first trip to the Louvre shouldn’t be that much of a nightmare. Just remember to plan which exhibits you want to see and which times, as most popular exhibits will begin to thin out after 5 pm. Also, you must understand a crucial fact before you go: you will NOT see everything, it is just plain impossible, so please try to plan yourself accordingly, and remember to HAVE FUN!!