Musee du Lourve

The Musee du Louvre contains the largest and arguably most important art collection in the world. The collection is vast and requires one to set viewing priorities when visiting. It covers European painting from 1200-1850, European scultpure from 1100 -1850 as well as Oriental, Greek, Egyptian, Etruscan and Roman works. The main entrance to the paris museum is a huge glass pyramid centered in the main courtyard of the palace, designed and built by the controversial architect I.M. Pei.

The palace is divided into three main wings: The Sully Wing, the Denon Wing and the Richelieu Wing. The most famous pieces at the Louvre are Leonardo da Vinci‘s “The Mona Lisa,” which is housed in the Denon Wing, the statue of Venus de Milo, also housed in the Denon Wing, and the Marly Horses housed in the Richelieu Wing in the Cour Marly.

The museum is open Wednesday through Monday, 9:00am to 6:00pm. On Wednesdays and Fridays the museum remains open until 9:45pm. It is closed on January 1st, May 1st, August 15th, and December 25th. Admission is 9 Euros, free for those under 18, and free on the first Sunday of the month. There is a reduced entry fee after 6:00pm Wednesdays and Fridays.