Ten Odd facts and Tips about the Louvre

1. The Louvre was originally a fortress. It was later converted into a royal palace, and then a museum.
2. Order your ticket online to avoid lines and pick-pocketers
3. During World War II, the Nazis used the Louvre as a storeroom for stolen art.
4. The 3 most famous masterpieces at the Louvre are the Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa, and The Winged Victory.
5. Bring a snack and some water!
6. In the Egyptian Exhibit, one can see an actual mummy, and mummified animals like a cat, goat and falcon!
7. The Mona Lisa is the most famous piece of art in the museum. It is protected with bullet-proof glass.
8. If you’re coming with a group, pick a meeting point/time, in the event that someone gets lost.
9. The painting of the Mona Lisa has its own private mailbox because of all the love letters it receives.
10. It is also smaller than most people expect. It is actually just 21 x 30 inches (53 x 77cms) It is estimated that 80% of the millions of people who visit the museum do so just to see this portrait. The Mona Lisa is not that impressive. Here eyes do appear to move.

Opening hours

Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Friday: from 9 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.
Closed on Tuesdays
Rooms begin closing 30 minutes before museum closing time.

Admission on Sunday

From October to March: access to the permanent collections is FREE for all visitors on the first Sunday of each month.

It is also FREE on Fridays if you are under 26.

Posted below are some of the pictures that I took: