With its gleaming glass facade, the Louvre steps up as the largest and most iconic museum on the planet. As a former royal palace, its interior is lavish, to say the least. Inside, it houses an incredible collection of artworks. From Western masterpieces to ancient artefacts, the Louvre is a celebration of art, culture and history.

Maps are a great way to explore the Louvre independently, with audio guides and group tours also available. For visitors, no trip to the Louvre is complete without gazing up at da Vinci’s iconic Mona Lisa. The museum gift shop is not to be missed, retailing a fabulous collection of postcards, prints, books, art-inspired merchandise and more.

The Louvre is perched on the right bank of the Seine, in between the Tuileries Gardens and the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois. It’s serviced by its own metro station, Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre. Both local and private tour buses stop in front of the Pyramid, with some underground parking on Avenue du Général Lemonnier. For those wanting to take the scenic route, Paris offers a fantastic bike share network with several depots located near the Louvre.

While today the Louvre houses some of the most famous masterpieces on the planet, it wasn’t always an art gallery. It was originally built as a medieval fort, then adopted as a royal palace by Charles V in the 14th century. The building was used as the main Paris residence for several French kings, until 1793 when it was converted into a public museum. Today, it welcomes art aficionados from around the world.