Everything About Louvre Museum Tickets

The Musée du Louvre, also known as the Louvre Museum, is the largest art museum in the world.

It is located in Paris, France, and spans nearly 73,000 square meters, or 800,000 square feet, in the historical Louvre Palace from the 12th century.

The collection spans ancient civilizations to the mid-19th century, encompassing paintings, sculptures, decorative, graphic, and Islamic art.

Over 35,000 exhibits are on display here, including the world-famous Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, created by Leonardo da Vinci.

Every year, 10 million people from around the world visit the Louvre Museum because of its unparalleled collection and cultural significance.

The following guide will answer all your questions and concerns about buying the best Louvre Museum tickets and making the most of your visit.

Timings: 9 am to 6 pm

Last Entry: 5 pm

Time Needed: 3 hours

Best time to visit: Late Afternoon

Must see Artworks: Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo

Louvre Ticket Cost: €17 

Location:

The Louvre Museum in Paris is situated on the right bank of the Seine River in the 1st arrondissement. The iconic Eiffel Tower is 3.5 kilometers to the southwest, and Notre-Dame Cathedral is 1 km to the southeast.

Address: 

Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France. Get Directions

How Buying Louvre Tickets at the Venue Can Ruin Your Trip

There are two main ways to buy tickets for the Louvre Museum: online or at the venue.

However, it is strongly recommended that you avoid purchasing them at the venue and book them online.

🎯Why, you ask?

The Louvre sees enormous crowds of over 30,000 visitors daily, leading to long waits at both security screening and ticket purchase lines.

During the summer peak season, security lines can stretch for hours along the courtyard, with 3+ hour wait times due to the massive volume of tourists.

Even in off-peak months, security waits take 30 minutes.

Once through security, visitors must join another line for ticket purchases before museum entry.

Take a look for yourself at how long the line at the Louvre can get.

To avoid these long lines, it is best to purchase skip the line Louvre Museum ticket online in advance.

This not only saves time but also enhances the overall museum experience, allowing visitors to bypass the long queue for security and head straight into the museum after a much shorter wait.

How to Buy Tickets for Louvre Museum Online

Select the number of tickets you need, your preferred date, and a time slot that fits your schedule on the ticket booking page.

The Louvre offers timed entry to ensure a comfortable experience for everyone.

Once you’ve chosen your date and time, proceed to purchase your tickets online.

The booking sites accept various payment methods, so have your credit card or other preferred payment option ready.

No need to worry about printing your tickets!

Once you’ve made a successful purchase, your Louvre ticket will be emailed to you.

On your visit day, strut past the long lines and head straight to the guard at the Louvre Glass Pyramid entrance. Look for the “Avec Billet” (With Ticket) sign.

Show the guard your Louvre museum e-ticket on your mobile device and present a valid photo ID. Remember, no ID, no entry!

Once everything is in order, you’ll be directed to the security check line inside the Glass Pyramid.

Guide to booking the Louvre Museum tickets

How much do Louvre tickets cost

The simple Louvre Museum Entry Ticket costs €25 for adults over the age of 18. While children below the age of 17 are not permitted.

For an additional €7, you can upgrade your admission ticket to include the Louvre official audio guide.

The Louvre Museum Guided Tour is priced at €79 for adults 18 years and older. 

Children under the age of 17 pay a discounted fee of €61

The best-selling tickets for Louvre Museum, including the entry ticket, guided tours, and family tours, are as follows:

Types of ticketsAdult Prices
Entry Ticket€25
Skip The Line Ticket + Audio Guide€32
Louvre Entry + Direct Mona Lisa Access€65
Guided Tour€79
Small Group Tour€85
Louvre Private Tour For Family & Kids€450 (price for five)
Paris Museum Pass€79

Types of Louvre Museum Tickets – Choosing the right option for you

Waiting time
Image: Nytimes.com

The main challenge for visitors to the Louvre Museum in Paris is the long queues that form in front of the Louvre Pyramid.

It is not uncommon for these lines to stretch for several hours during peak tourist season (June to August).

One effective strategy is to choose the right ticket type, which includes skipping the entrance line.

There are three types of Louvre Paris tickets that allow you to skip the line: self-guided admission tickets, guided tours, and the Paris Museum Pass.

Opting for a self-guided Louvre Museum skip the line ticket is an excellent choice if you prefer exploring the museum at your own pace and want to avoid the crowds.

With so much to see, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the Louvre. A guided museum tour will help you pace yourself and focus on the most important pieces.

A Paris City Museum Pass is the best option if you want to visit several museums in Paris, such as the Louvre, Versailles, and Center Pompidou, for the price of just one.

1. Entry Ticket to Louvre Museum

This Louvre entry ticket is the cheapest and the most popular ticket to access the museum’s permanent and temporary exhibitions.

For just €25, you can explore iconic artworks such as the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and other masterpieces from the Renaissance era.

This ticket to the Louvre guarantees entry within 30 minutes.

Ticket price:

Visitors’ AgeTicket Price
Adult ticket (18+ years)€25
Child ticket (upto 17 years)Not Allowed

2. Louvre Museum Entry with Direct Access to Monalisa Ticket

With this ticket, you’ll skip the line at the Louvre and gain direct access to the Mona Lisa, bypassing the potentially lengthy queue that builds in front of the painting.

This can save you significant time, especially during peak season (June to August).

Once you arrive at the Carrousel Arch, an English-speaking host will accompany you to the world-famous Mona Lisa.

Following that, you are free to explore the Louvre Museum as you please.

You can cancel this Louvre ticket 24 hours prior to your scheduled visit and receive a 100% refund.

Ticket price:

Visitors’ AgeTicket Price
Adult ticket (18+ years)€65
Child ticket (3 to 17 years)€55
Infant ticket (upto 2 years)Free Entry

3. Louvre Museum Timed Entrance Ticket with Audio Guide

This single ticket grants you both admission to the museum and an official Louvre audio guide, streamlining your experience.

In addition, an audio guide can help you navigate the vast museum and prioritize specific sections or artworks based on your interests.

Pre-booking your timed ticket ensures you have a designated entry slot, eliminating the uncertainty of availability on the day of your visit.

This combo ticket of the Louvre Museum eliminates the need to wait for separate audio guide rentals, saving you time and money.

Ticket price:

Visitors’ AgeTicket Price
Adult ticket (18+ years)€32
Child ticket (upto 17 years)Not Allowed

4. Louvre Guided Tour Tickets

The sheer size of the Louvre Museum can be seen in the fact that it would take you around 200 days to see each of the 35,000 works of art on display here.

Even if you took 30 seconds to see each and every piece, it would still take that long to view the entire collection.

A personalized guided tour of the Louvre Museum will ensure you do not miss any of the masterpieces during your visit.

And it costs only €63 for adults, which is only €38 more than the cheapest entry ticket.

A knowledgeable guide will lead you through all of the important highlights of the monumental art collection.

You will see Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory of Samothrace, among other major works of art.

If you book your guided tour ticket today, you can get an instant 20% concession.

Ticket price:

Visitors’ AgeTicket Price
Adult ticket (18+ years)€79
Child ticket (3 to 17 years)€61
Infant ticket (upto 2 years)€61

If you are traveling with a group of up to six people and want an exclusive tour, you can book a Louvre Museum private tour for €609.

5. Louvre Tour for Family with Kids

This 2-hour Louvre private guided tour is customized for kids and families, with a children’s guide hosting your group.

This highly-rated tour starts with the Mona Lisa at the Louvre and then moves to other exhibits sure to excite the kids.

Unlike regular tour guides, private guides use games, activities, and storytelling to keep kids engaged and interested.

The skip the line Louvre ticket saves you approximately 10 to 20 minutes at the security checkpoint.

You can cancel this private tour of the Louvre Museum up to 24 hours before your visit.

Tour cost:

Visitors’ AgeTour Cost
For a group of 5 participants€450

6. Paris Museum Pass

If you plan to visit several museums and monuments in Paris, the Pass can be significantly cheaper than buying individual tickets.

The more museums you visit, the greater the savings.

With just one pass, you can visit 60 museums and monuments throughout Paris and the region, including the Louvre Paris and the Centre Pompidou.

The primary benefit of this Paris Museum Pass is that it promotes spontaneous exploration, allowing you to visit museums you might not have planned to see.

You can select a 2, 4, or 6-day pass and even combine it with the 1-hour Seine River Cruise to tailor it to your travel itinerary.

Using this Paris Pass, you’ll skip the line at monuments around Paris, but you’ll need to schedule a time slot in advance to enter the Louvre.

Pass price:

Visitors’ AgeTicket Price
2-Day Pass€79
4-Day Pass€94
6-Day Pass€107

Note: Tickets are not required for children under 17 years of age.

Combo Tickets for the Louvre Museum

Best time to visit
Image: Kelian Pfleger / Pexels (Canva)

By using combo tickets, visitors are able to combine sightseeing with top Parisian attractions, including admission to the Louvre Museum Paris.

Visitors choose combo tickets for many reasons, including:

  1. If you buy a combo ticket instead of purchasing tickets for each attraction separately, you can save up to 30%. 
  1. You can visit all included sights with a combo ticket, saving you the trouble of buying separate tickets at each location.
  1. For two to three days, you can visit the included attractions at your own pace.

We have compiled a list of Louvre combo tickets for your selection:

Popular Combo TicketsCost
Louvre Timed Tickets + 1-hour Seine River Boat Cruise€28 to €59
Seine River Cruise + Louvre Priority Acess + Audio Guides€28 to €59
Eiffel Tower Summit Ticket + Louvre Entry + Seine River Cruise€120 to €140
Louvre Museum VIP Ticket + Paris Walking Tour€24 to €46
Palace of Versailles & Gardens +  Musée du Louvre€43
Louvre Ticket + Musée d’Orsay€40
Arc de Triomphe Entry + Louvre Museum e-ticket€38
Eiffel Tower Visit + Louvre Museum Reserve Access Ticket€70

Louvre Museum Discount Tickets

The Louvre Museum ticket discount is based on the type of ticket you select.

The ticket discounts are typically applied to children.

The Louvre guided tour and bundle ticket of the Louvre with Mona Lisa direct access cost €61 and €55, respectively, for children aged 7 to 13.

Meanwhile, adults over the age of 18 pay €79 and €65 for the same tickets.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tickets

How much are Louvre Tickets?

What is the Louvre Museum’s arrival time?

Should I pre-book tickets to the Louvre?

Can I modify or cancel my Louvre tickets?

Do I need a ticket for children?

How do you skip the Louvre line?

What languages are audio guides available in?

Is it free to see the Mona Lisa?

Is Louvre Museum free on sunday?

Do I need to reserve a timeslot for free admission?

Does Paris Museum Pass include the Louvre?

Are there any discounts available for students or seniors at the Louvre Museum?

Can I use my Louvre ticket to access temporary exhibitions?

Will I receive a refund if I decide to cancel my ticket to the Louvre Museum?

On what day is the Louvre free?

If you have a tight budget, you can visit the Louvre Museum for free on certain days and times.

Admission to Louvre is free for all visitors on the first Friday of the month after 6 pm (except in July and August) and on July 14 (Bastille Day).

Who qualifies for free entry?

EU residents 18 to 25: If you’re between 18 and 25 years old and a resident of the European Economic Area (EU, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein), you’re in luck!

Education enthusiasts: Holders of a valid “Pass Education” card can enter for free.

Art professionals: Teachers of art, art history, and applied arts can enter with proof of their subject.

Creative souls: Artists affiliated with the Maison des Artistes (France) or the IAA (International Association of Art) get free entry.

Museum buffs: Holders of a valid ICOM or ICOMOS card can enjoy free admission.

Facing financial challenges: Job seekers and people on income support can enter for free with valid proof (dated within the last year or indicating a validity period).

Accessibility for all: Visitors with disabilities and their companions can enter for free.

Louvre Museum Timings

The Louvre Museum is open from 9 am to 6 pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. On Friday, it stays open until 9.45 pm.

However, the museum is closed on Tuesdays and on 1 January, 1 May, and 25 December.

The last entry is one hour before closing time, and the rooms start closing 30 minutes before the museum closes completely.

Follow this link to learn more about the Louvre Museum’s opening hours in detail

Best time to visit Louvre Museum

While guidebooks often suggest early mornings (around 9 am) for Louvre visits, many visitors discover a calmer experience later in the day.

After 3 pm, the crowds tend to thin out, allowing you to enjoy the art more freely.

On Fridays, the museum stays open until 9.45 pm, and after 6 pm group tours have dispersed, providing a more peaceful experience.

Seasoned art enthusiasts may even choose night visits to see the works in a different light.

Avoid visiting the Louvre on Mondays. The nearby Musée d’Orsay, just 1.5 km away, is closed that day, and its usual 8,000 daily visitors get diverted to the Louvre.

This means longer lines and bigger crowds, so choose another day for a smoother experience.

Weekends should also be steered clear of, as approximately 30% of the Louvre’s tourists are local Parisians who flock to see the collections then since they are not working.

How long does it take to see Louvre Museum

For a general overview, most visitors dedicate 3 to 4 hours, taking in iconic masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.

Navigating the 35,000 works on display among the Louvre’s vast halls, even with the help of maps, audio guides or the museum app, remains a challenge.

With over 380,000 artifacts in the permanent collection, seeing everything is realistically impossible in a single trip.

Returning visitors commonly report signs of “art fatigue” setting in after 2 to 3 hours of non-stop viewing.

For this reason, it is advised to take a 2 to 2.5 hour guided tour of the Louvre, which provides in-depth information on the artwork and history of the palace.

What to expect at Paris’s Louvre Museum

In the heart of Paris, the Louvre Museum stands as a magnificent repository of history, art, and culture.

Its staggering collection of 35,000 exhibits is meticulously organized into eight departments, including paintings, Egyptian artifacts, and antiquities from Greece, Etruria, Rome, and the Near East, alongside sculptures, decorative arts, Islamic art, and prints and drawings.

This clear categorization allows visitors to explore the vast offerings based on their interests, journeying from ancient civilizations to European masterpieces.

Truly appreciating each piece would require over 36 days, assuming a quick glance of just 30 seconds per exhibit.

The museum spans three wings: Sully, Richelieu, and Denon—each housing over 70 rooms packed with artistic and historical wonders.

The Sully Wing, the museum’s oldest section, invites visitors to delve into the past with remnants of the medieval Louvre castle, the iconic Venus de Milo, and the intriguing “Sleeping Hermaphrodite.”

It also houses the majestic Great Sphinx of Tanis, seamlessly blending ancient history with artistic beauty.

The Richelieu Wing offers a glimpse into the opulent apartments of Napoleon III and showcases masterpieces by Vermeer and Rembrandt, alongside a dazzling collection of decorative arts.

The Denon Wing, the most visited, is home to legendary works like the Mona Lisa and the Winged Victory of Samothrace, as well as renowned French paintings like “The Coronation of Napoleon” and “Liberty Leading the People.”

Adjacent to the museum, the Tuileries Garden provides a tranquil entry point for many visitors, its natural beauty complementing the artistic grandeur of the Louvre. 

This garden is not just a haven for relaxation; it’s also a historical landscape connecting visitors to the broader tapestry of Parisian culture and history.

Featured Image: RuckZack