Louvre, Paris

The Louvre opened as a public museum in 1793 during the French Revolution, housed in a palace that served French kings since the 12th century. Today it ranks as the world's largest art museum, displaying roughly 38,000 objects across 72,735 square meters of gallery space. The collection spans from ancient Mesopotamia to the mid-19th century, with particular strengths in Italian Renaissance painting, ancient Egyptian artifacts, and French decorative arts.

Beyond the iconic glass pyramid designed by I.M. Pei in 1989, visitors discover works by Leonardo da Vinci, Eugène Delacroix, and Jacques-Louis David. The Mona Lisa draws roughly 7 million visitors annually, though the museum rewards those who explore further with Greek antiquities like the Venus de Milo and Winged Victory of Samothrace. French kings amassed much of the original collection, with Napoleon adding substantially through conquest. The museum welcomed 8.7 million visitors in 2024, with Americans making up the largest group of international tourists. Entry is free for EU visitors under 26 and for everyone on the first Saturday evening of each month.