The Louvre is arguably one of Paris’ most iconic museums – its architecture is filled with rich history and its halls are full of hundreds of thousands works of arts and massive amounts of tourists.
Before becoming a world-class museum, the Louvre was originally known as a 12th century fortress/palace. Thanks to l’Assemblée nationale, the palace officially became a museum and first opened its exhibits (which only featured a few hundred pieces) in August of 1793. Today, the museum houses around 34,000 pieces and offers numerous exhibits and galleries (so get ready to roam around!).
Not only is the museum’s artwork celebrated, but it’s mixture of modern and old architecture is also internationally recognized. The traditional, palatial architecture is juxtaposed with I.M Pei’s glass Pyramid, which was inaugurated in 1989. Since its creation, the Pyramid has served as the focal point for many tourists’ photo-ops- so, watch out for that selfie stick and the masses of posing people while you make your way towards the museum!
Once inside the museum- it can be a bit overwhelming….there are numerous tour groups, many galleries, and too many great pieces of art to cram into one day . So, I would recommend taking multiple trips to the Louvre if you have time and especially if you are a student (you can get in for free!)…. So, take my advice and visit the Louvre from 9am-6pm on Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday or stop by any time from 9am-9:45pm on Wednesday and Friday . If you happen to be in Paris in between the months of October and March you can have free admission to the museum on the first Sunday of each month!
“Self-Portraits: Me (bottom right), Mona, and Close Friends”
Represents: the typical crowd that surrounds the Mona Lisa…arm yourself with a selfie stick to get the best snap.
Because I had the time, and the fairly flexible class schedule, I chose to take the“multiple trip” route and dedicated each visit to different pieces of art. During my first round I naturally waded through the hordes of people to see the Mona Lisa, marveled at the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and took my time to walk through the Egyptian Antiquities section. During my later Louvre rounds I was able to visit the Arts de l’Islam (which was officially opened in 2012) and stop by one of the many cafés located in and around the museum.
Breaking up The Louvre into bits and pieces during my various visits made the experience much more enjoyable because I was able to discover a new artist of masterpiece each time. I also sampled plenty of chocolat chaud and also enjoyed the Tuileries gardens next door. So, next time you have the chance, take it slow at The Louvre, or if you’re on a tight schedule check out your favorites and know that missing out on a piece or two is just another excuse to go on holiday and re-visit Paris!
(manhattan)islandnotes 