The Louvre, Humanity’s memories

Originally

At the heart of a global cultural hub, art in its purest essence found its sanctuary. Each room is a rare jewel offering an encounter with our history, from the first legal code of King Hammurabi of Mesopotamia to the captivating gaze of Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, and the vibrant choreography of artists like Beyoncé and Jay Z.

Over the centuries

Born from a revolutionary vision to grant universal access to the arts, this former hunting ground aptly named after wolves (“loup” in French) unfolds centuries of creative evolution through its diverse collections. Now an emblem of the French republic, its 403 rooms weave a unique tapestry narrating the intertwined histories of Woman and Man. At its heart, a glass pyramid stands as a modern reflection of the ancient and regal edifices that surround it.

Nowadays

With its expertise both duplicated regionally (Lens) and internationally (Abu Dhabi), the Louvre has forged distinctive connections with the arts, establishing itself as a global icon representing cultures worldwide… notably for inquisitive travellers in Paris, as international visitors now make up 68% of the public.

Did you know?

• 210,000 square metres housing nearly 35,000 artworks (with 460,000 more in reserve!) including paintings, sculptures, graphic arts, and other artifacts from Oriental, Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman antiquities.

• The Louvre stars in fiction, from Stanley Donen's Funny Face to Bernardo Bertolucci's The Innocents, and Jean-Luc Godard's Bande à part in cinema, as well as the series Lupin and even... The Looney Tunes take action!

• Sculpting one's body like a Greek athlete at the Louvre, or blending the rules between art and sport through the museum's offered sports tours: the Louvre transforms into a gym through a playful and athletic itinerary.

• Pierre-Joseph Cambon’s spirit and courage : a deputy who protected the royal collections during the French Revolution, anticipating the museum's opening under the principle of the neutrality of artworks.

• Ain Ghazal, the oldest statue in the Louvre, stands alongside the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and even The Raft of the Medusa.

• The Gardens of the Louvre, where flowers complement the paintings, and bees thrive: six beehives were installed by the Louvre in the Raffet garden and its 400 m2 wildflower meadow, created specifically to sustain them since 2018.

• Contemporary artists like Beyoncé and Jay Z bring the Louvre's paintings to life in Apeshift, and the French band Feu Chatterton held a residency within the museum.

• From Gaming to the Museum: In addition to augmented reality tours with Snapchat and the 2018 escape game, Project Exodus, there are Louvre-themed games like Louvre: The Ultimate Curse, Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness, and the adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, set in the heart of the Denon Wing, featuring the Grand Gallery and the room of the Mona Lisa.

• The Richelieu gallery takes on an Olympic theme with the exhibition from April 24 to September 16, 2024, titled "Olympism, a modern invention, an ancient legacy." It delves into the secrets of the Modern Games in the arts through various paintings, drawings, sculptures, and goldsmith works. All of this is in addition to the "Sport and Fashion" exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts, where swimsuits from the early twentieth century coexist with Serena Williams' lycra bodysuit.