I had waited my whole life to see her. Now I was finally here, standing on tiptoe in a jostling crowd, trying to catch a glimpse of the Mona Lisa. Phones and cameras rose like periscopes around me. For a brief half-minute, through a forest of raised arms, I locked eyes with that enigmatic smile behind its glass case, and then the tide of visitors swept me away. It was exhilarating, chaotic, and over in a flash. As I was herded out of the Salle des États, I couldn’t help but ask myself: was it worth it?
A Palace of Art and History
Walking out of that gallery still dazed, I wandered into the Louvre’s grand courtyard to catch my breath. The evening sun slanted through I.M. Pei’s iconic glass Pyramid, the modern portal to this treasure house of art.
It isn’t until you’re standing in the vast courtyard of the Louvre, sunlight shimmering through the Pyramid and the ornate palace façades towering around – that you can truly say you’ve been to Paris.
The Louvre is more than a museum; it’s a piece of French history. The complex itself was once a royal residence for centuries before becoming a public museum in 1793 during the French Revolution.
In fact, you can still see the medieval fortress foundations in the basement of the Sully wing, remnants of the 12th-century castle that stood here long before art graced its halls.
Walking these corridors means literally strolling where kings and emperors once lived – Louis XIV roamed these halls before decamping to Versailles, and Napoleon III held glittering balls in rooms that you can still visit today.
Today, the Louvre is the powerhouse of art museums. It’s officially the largest art museum in the world, home to roughly 35,000 artworks on display (from a collection of over 600,000 spanning 10,000 years of history).
The scale is mind-boggling: the palace’s façades stretch nearly two miles in length and its galleries cover about 73,000 square meters (over 780,000 sq ft). It would literally take weeks to see every object in the collection properly. Little wonder the Louvre also reigns as the world’s most-visited museum, drawing about 8.9 million visitors in 2023 alone.
This popularity has only grown over time – the glass Pyramid, added in 1989, was originally built to handle 4.5 million visitors a year, but the museum now welcomes nearly double that in a good year.
For art enthusiasts, the Louvre isn’t just one attraction among many – it’s a pilgrimage site. As I stood in that courtyard amid a hum of many languages, I felt the significance of where I was. This massive former palace turned museum is a temple of art and human history, and being here carries a certain thrill and weight.
Highlights of the Louvre
Once you enter the Louvre, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of art. I decided to focus on a few of the museum’s most legendary pieces – not just to check them off a list, but to see if these icons would move me in person as much as their fame suggests.
The big three on my list were Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the ancient Greek statue Winged Victory of Samothrace, and the armless wonder Venus de Milo. These three female figures are often cited as the Louvre’s most famous highlights, and each provided a very different experience for me.
The Mona Lisa
I’ll admit, my personal encounter with La Joconde (as the French call her) was initially underwhelming – not because of the painting, but because of the crowd crush I described earlier.
Housed in the Louvre’s largest gallery, the Salle des États, the Mona Lisa sits behind a bulletproof glass case in solitary splendor at the center of the room.
Leonardo’s portrait is surprisingly small (30 x 21 inches) and kept at a distance by barriers, so getting a close look is a challenge when dozens of people are vying for a view.
The museum puts her in that grand hall specifically to accommodate the throngs of admirers, opposite a huge canvas (The Wedding Feast at Cana by Veronese) which many visitors barely notice.
I knew to expect her size and the protective glass, but it’s a different thing to experience it firsthand. Still, when I finally caught a clear view, I felt a jolt – there she was, the most famous face in art, her eyes and that cryptic smile seemingly alive even behind glass.
It was a fleeting connection, yet a memorable one. Many people complain the Mona Lisa is “overhyped,” and indeed a recent analysis of 18,000 online reviews crowned it the world’s “most disappointing masterpiece” (37% of its reviews were negative).
I can empathize – if you go only for the Mona Lisa, you might leave frustrated by the brief, crowded viewing. But I also found that seeing the painting in person gave me a new appreciation for Leonardo’s subtle artistry (the delicate layers of sfumato, the way her eyes engage you) that reproductions just don’t capture.
My advice: enjoy the Mona Lisa, snap a photo if you must, but then move on. In a way, her huge fame actually frees you to spend time with other works in the Louvre that can surprise and inspire you more than you expect.
The Winged Victory of Samothrace
If the Mona Lisa experience felt frenetic, encountering the Winged Victory felt truly majestic. This ancient Greek marble sculpture of the goddess Nike, wings spread wide, stands poised on the prow of a stone ship at the top of the Daru staircase – essentially on her own pedestal at the head of a grand stairway.
I remember ascending those steps and seeing Victory emerge above me, bathed in natural light from a skylight above. She almost looks like she’s just landed, wind blowing through her stone drapery.
The museum deliberately placed this statue here to echo its original setting (it once stood on a hillside sanctuary in Samothrace, overlooking the sea). Even surrounded by other tourists taking photos, the Winged Victory stopped me in my tracks.
From the staircase below, I could admire her from afar, and upon reaching the top I walked around the statue’s base to appreciate its details – the powerful wings, the delicate wet-looking folds of her gown, the fact that her head and arms are missing yet she still conveys such motion and emotion.
There’s a reason this piece is considered one of the Louvre’s most emblematic masterpieces. In that moment, I felt a sense of triumph myself – this was the kind of awe I came for.
I spent a good ten minutes here, which in Louvre time is an eternity, just soaking in the fact that something so graceful and dynamic was carved over 2,000 years ago. Unlike the Mona Lisa’s room, the Daru staircase didn’t feel too crowded; there was space to step back and admire Victory in full.
It was one of those uplifting museum moments where you genuinely feel the centuries fall away.
The Venus de Milo
Tucked in the quiet reaches of the Sully wing, the Venus de Milo stands on her own in a red-marble room, lit softly as if in a spotlight. When I first caught sight of her, it was from a distance down a long gallery of Greek antiquities – a lone figure glowing at the far end, drawing everyone toward her.
As I got closer, I understood why the Louvre’s own description says “you would need a heart of stone not to be moved by her grace”. Despite having lost her arms, this statue exudes an aura of timeless beauty and calm.
Carved around 150 BC and found on a Greek island in 1820, the Venus de Milo (an Aphrodite) embodies an ideal of classical beauty – smooth marble skin, a serene expression, and an elegant contrapposto pose.
Standing before her, I felt a sense of peace, a contrast to the excitement of Winged Victory or the frenzy of Mona Lisa. Perhaps it was because the crowds here were thinner (most tourists flock to Mona Lisa and may give Venus only a brief look), or perhaps her aesthetic just invites quiet admiration.
I circled the statue slowly, noticing details like the subtle curves of her waist and the drapery sliding off her hips. In nearly 200 years at the Louvre, Venus has changed locations several times, but now the museum displays her almost alone so visitors can have an unobstructed view.
I was grateful for that. In the stillness of that gallery, I felt a connection across millennia – an almost personal encounter with an ancient artist’s masterpiece. This was a moment that reaffirmed why I love art.
Of course, the Louvre has countless other treasures – Liberty Leading the People, The Raft of the Medusa, the colossal Assyrian winged bulls, Egyptian mummies, the opulent Napoleon III Apartments, and so on. In one afternoon, I could only skim the surface.
But each of these three famed works gave me a distinct emotional experience: the Mona Lisa challenged me to look past the hype, the Winged Victory filled me with awe, and the Venus de Milo touched my soul with its quiet beauty.
My honest take? The art can live up to its legend, but you have to approach it with realistic expectations. Be ready for crowds at the superstar attractions, and be ready to seek out a few quieter corners for balance.
Some of my favorite memories came from stepping into less busy rooms and discovering a gorgeous painting or sculpture I’d never heard of – moments of serendipity that felt like my own little discoveries in this vast museum.
How to Survive (and Enjoy) the Louvre
The Louvre is enormous and can easily overwhelm even the most ardent art lover. On my visit, I quickly learned that having a game plan is essential.
The museum’s layout is notoriously labyrinthine – a multi-level maze divided into three main wings (Denon, Richelieu, and Sully), radiating from the central Pyramid entrance.
Even with maps and signs, it’s easy to get turned around in the warren of galleries, interconnected staircases, and hidden escalators. I had moments where I followed signs to an exit that never seemed to materialize, or tried to find a specific painting and ended up in an entirely different wing.
I’m not alone in this feeling; many visitors comment that the Louvre’s layout and signage can be confusing to navigate on a first visit.
Tip: Grab a museum map (or download the Louvre’s app) and take a moment to orient yourself by the wing names and room numbers. If you’re hunting the Mona Lisa, for example, you’ll want to head to the Denon wing, first floor, room 711 – and you can follow the herd or the plentiful pictogram signs of her face to get there.
For Venus de Milo, you go to the ground floor of the Sully wing; Winged Victory sits at a crossroads at first floor Denon. The museum offers themed visitor trails in their brochures and app (including one inspired by The Da Vinci Code film) to guide you to highlights in a logical route.
If you’re prone to FOMO, the Louvre even publishes a recommended 3-hour route hitting the top masterpieces.
Timing is everything. I cannot stress this enough – plan your visit for when crowds are thinnest if you want a more contemplative experience. The Louvre receives massive crowds (remember those millions of visitors per year), and as one traveler put it, “the crowds can be overwhelming, especially near popular exhibits.
Arrive early to enjoy it better. Still, an unforgettable experience!”. My strategy was to book the first time slot in the morning. I arrived at the Pyramid entrance around 9:00 AM with a pre-booked ticket, which allowed me to breeze through security in about 10 minutes.
By going straight to the Mona Lisa at opening, I briefly experienced a relatively manageable crowd (by midday, that room gets crazy). The museum is also open late on Wednesday and Friday nights (until 9:45 PM). Many people swear by an evening visit when tour groups are gone – it can be quieter, almost atmospheric wandering the dimly lit galleries at night.
I noticed around dinner hour the halls were less congested, and I could stand alone at some paintings for a few moments. If your schedule permits, an evening at the Louvre is a wonderful option for a calmer vibe.
Also, never go on a Tuesday – the Louvre is closed that day (a fact that catches many tourists off guard). And avoid the first Sunday of the month if you can, because while admission is free then, the place overflows with visitors taking advantage of it.
Beat the line: Always, always buy your ticket in advance online for a timed entry. As one visitor noted, with an advance ticket they spent only 30 minutes in a line as expected, whereas those who didn’t plan waited hours.
The Pyramid is the main entry for most, but there are alternative entrances that can save time. I entered through the Pyramid without much hassle in the morning, but later I checked out the Carrousel du Louvre entrance (an underground mall entrance with a shorter security line) and the Passage Richelieu (an entrance off Rue de Rivoli, historically for groups or those with pre-bought tickets).
The Passage Richelieu in particular was nearly empty when I peered in during midday – a well-kept secret for quick entry if you already have your ticket. (Note: some entrances’ policies can change, so double-check current info on the official site).
If you have a Paris Museum Pass, it should allow you to use the faster Passage Richelieu line as well.
Once inside, pace yourself. The Louvre is not a place to rush through, and you will enjoy it more if you don’t try to “see it all” (which is impossible in one day anyway). Wear your most comfortable shoes – I walked over 5 miles inside the museum without even realizing it.
There are some benches scattered about; don’t hesitate to sit and rest while contemplating a painting on the wall. I took a breather in the Cour Marly sculpture court, where daylight streams in on 18th-century marble statues and you can relax for a bit.
Also, consider breaking up your visit: it’s perfectly okay to spend a few hours, leave for lunch or fresh air in the Tuileries Garden just outside, and come back (your ticket is single-entry, but a lunch break on site at one of the cafes or in the garden can recharge you for round two).
Some travelers dedicate an entire day to the Louvre, but personally I found around 4-5 hours inside was my maximum before art fatigue set in. One Google reviewer aptly wrote that you should “simply enjoy [the Louvre] and do not plan anything else on that day” – give yourself the day, both for the museum and to relax afterward.
I followed this advice, capping my Louvre day with a slow stroll along the Seine at sunset, letting my saturated brain digest all the art I’d taken in.
Practical bits: The Louvre has decent facilities – there are a few cafés and restaurants (though pricey), free restrooms, and water is sold (because strangely, water fountains are scarce – I couldn’t find any when I was thirsty).
Bringing a refillable bottle and some light snacks isn’t a bad idea, as long as you consume them in the designated areas (no eating in galleries). Large bags aren’t allowed, but there’s a cloakroom. Photography is permitted (no flash), so you’ll see plenty of people snapping selfies with the art.
I found the staff generally helpful; despite the crowds, they kept things moving efficiently. Security is present everywhere (over a thousand security agents work here), which made me feel safe but also reminded me how high-profile this museum is.
When Art Overwhelms
I consider myself an art enthusiast, but even I felt overwhelmed at times during my Louvre visit – both in a mental sense (so much great art to absorb) and a physical sense (the crowds, the size, the noise).
There’s a term, “museum fatigue,” and I now truly understand it. After a couple of hours weaving through Egyptian antiquities and Italian Renaissance paintings, my eyes started glazing over.
It’s the paradox of the Louvre: you’re in one of the greatest treasure troves on earth, but you can’t possibly appreciate it all in one go. I had to remind myself to slow down, and to allow certain artworks to speak to me rather than trying to conquer gallery after gallery.
Yet, the emotional and intellectual rewards are immense if you embrace the experience. I vividly recall standing in front of Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People (the painting of a woman holding the French flag, charging over barricades).
A tour group came, spent 30 seconds for photos, and left. Suddenly I was alone with it. In the quiet, the significance of that image – liberty personified, in the very country that coined the motto “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité” – hit me hard. I felt chills.
Moments like that are why the Louvre is unparalleled: you turn a corner and encounter works that have altered the course of art history or symbolized entire revolutions. It’s a deeply moving experience for anyone who connects with art and history.
Intellectually, the Louvre also challenged me. It’s one thing to read about art in books; it’s another to see the brushstrokes inches from your face, or to realize that the ancient marble statue in front of you is thousands of years old.
The museum’s vastness forced me to reckon with the breadth of human creativity – from Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets to medieval European ivories to French Romantic canvases, all under one roof.
As an art lover, I found myself learning at every step: reading captions, noticing how styles evolved from one room to the next, drawing connections between different cultures. It can be an intellectually tiring place (there’s so much info to take in), but it’s also like a grand narrative of world art if you pay attention.
Emotionally, I ran the gamut from frustration (yes, when I couldn’t get near a painting) to pure wonder. One moment I was irritated by a group elbowing past me; the next, I was misty-eyed looking at an ancient Egyptian mummy case and thinking about mortality and legacy.
In the quieter sections – for example, the Islamic Art galleries in the subterranean Cour Visconti – I found a kind of meditative calm, almost like a respite from the main halls. Surrounded by intricate tiles and ceramics, with hardly anyone else around, I could let my guard down and simply feel the beauty of what I was seeing.
If you visit the Louvre, be prepared for these emotional swings. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. When it happens, I recommend finding a less crowded room or even stepping out to the Tuileries Garden for a short break.
The garden is literally next door, and sitting by the fountain with an ice cream before re-entering the fray can work wonders. Also, if you’re visiting with companions, consider splitting up for a bit so each person can quietly reflect on the art that speaks to them (it’s hard to do that if you’re hurriedly following a group).
Some of my most profound moments were when I wandered alone through an almost empty gallery, hearing only my footsteps and the distant murmurs of the crowd elsewhere.
Pros and Cons of the Louvre
Visiting the Louvre is not your average museum outing – it’s an experience with high highs and a few lows. After my honest appraisal, here are the key pros and cons as I see them:
Pros:
- Unrivaled Art Collection: Simply put, the Louvre houses some of humanity’s greatest artistic achievements under one roof. From the Mona Lisa to ancient Egyptian sphinxes, there is something that will take your breath away no matter your area of interest. It’s a thrill to see such canonical works in person. For art enthusiasts, the depth and diversity of the collection (35,000+ works on display) is a dream come true – you could spend days and still have more to see.
- Historical and Architectural Significance: The building itself is a masterpiece. Exploring the Louvre, you’re also exploring a former royal palace with beautifully adorned ceilings, grand halls (don’t miss the Apollo Gallery’s gilded splendor), and even Napoleon III’s lavish apartments. The juxtaposition of the old palace and the modern glass Pyramid in the courtyard is stunning. Just being in this space feels important, like you’re part of living history.
- Moments of Awe and Inspiration: Despite the crowds, the Louvre offers moments that can genuinely move you – whether it’s the sight of Winged Victory poised on her staircase or the quiet power of the Venus de Milo’s gaze. Many visitors (myself included) find the experience unforgettable. When you connect with an artwork here, it’s often a profound moment you’ll remember for years.
- Educational Value: The Louvre can be an incredible learning experience. The wealth of information available (in labels, audio guides, or guidebooks) is fantastic for those wanting to deepen their understanding of art and history. I left with new knowledge and a greater appreciation for various art periods. Plus, the museum frequently offers special exhibitions and themed tours if you want a structured deep-dive.
Cons:
- Overwhelming Crowds: The Louvre’s popularity is a double-edged sword. At peak times, galleries – especially around superstar works like the Mona Lisa – can be shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists. Lines to enter can be very long if you haven’t booked ahead. The congestion can sap some of the joy out of viewing the art; it’s hard to contemplate a painting while being elbowed. Overtourism has even caused occasional strikes by staff. For many, the crowding is the number one downside.
- Time and Energy Investment: Visiting the Louvre is work. It demands a lot of time (at least half a day to see even the highlights properly) and energy (I walked for hours and still skipped large sections). It can be physically exhausting – one visitor noted that you should be prepared to walk “more than 4 hours” to see a lot, and indeed I clocked about that long on my feet. If you have limited time in Paris or mobility issues, tackling the Louvre in depth might not be feasible.
- Not All Experiences are Equal: Some marquee artworks may disappoint in person due to the viewing conditions. The Mona Lisa is the famous example – behind glass, usually swarmed by people, and frankly difficult to enjoy for more than a minute. If your expectations aren’t managed, you might feel underwhelmed by certain “must-sees.” Also, not every gallery in the vast museum is as well curated or maintained as others; a few sections felt a bit dated in presentation.
- Logistics and Navigation: The sheer size and complex layout of the Louvre can be a negative for some. Wayfinding isn’t always intuitive, and without a plan you might spend a lot of time lost or backtracking. It’s easy to miss something you wanted to see because you can’t find the room or it’s temporarily closed. First-timers can find it stressful to navigate (I certainly got a tad frustrated when I ended up in a dead-end hallway looking for an exit). Planning helps, but the need for planning might itself be seen as a con if you prefer spontaneous wandering.
- Hype and Expectations: This is more subjective, but the Louvre’s reputation is so grand that it sets sky-high expectations. Not everyone will find it “the best museum in the world” for their tastes. For example, if you prefer small, focused museums or you’re not particularly into pre-20th-century art, you might find the Louvre’s collections less engaging after the big highlights. There’s a reason some travelers ask if the Louvre is “worth it” – because if Renaissance art or ancient artifacts aren’t your passion, you might wonder if braving the crowds is necessary.
For me, the pros far outweighed the cons, but I appreciated knowing the downsides going in. It allowed me to adjust my approach (visiting early, picking what I wanted to see, taking breaks).
If you love art and history, the Louvre’s rewards absolutely justify the challenges. If you’re a casual tourist with only a passing interest, you might consider whether you’d rather spend that time elsewhere in Paris.
There’s no shame in admitting that an all-day art museum expedition isn’t for everyone.
Is the Louvre Worth It?
So, after my long-anticipated visit, what’s my personal answer to the question “Is the Louvre worth it?” In a word: Yes. For me, as an art enthusiast, the Louvre was more than worth it – it was a highlight of my time in Paris and an experience I’ll treasure.
Despite the sore feet, the jostling crowds, and the moments of sensory overload, I walked away inspired and in awe. There is simply nowhere else where you can under one roof see so much of the world’s artistic heritage, in such an iconic setting.
The chance to stand before pieces like the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, and Venus de Milo – to literally come face-to-face with history – made all the logistical headaches worthwhile for me.
Could I have had a miserable time? Sure, if I’d gone at 2 PM in July with no ticket and rushed through only to be exhausted and annoyed, I might be singing a different tune.
But knowing what I know now, I’d still tell my best friend or any art lover: “Go to the Louvre. Even if it’s a little crazy, even if you only scratch the surface, it’s something you have to experience at least once.”
