"I love the Louvre!" Louvre Tip by goodfish

It's one of the largest and most revered in the world.
It sprawls across the site of a former medieval fortress whose ancient foundations still exist.
It has over 35,000 fascinating sculptures, paintings, prints and decorative objects spanning multiple millennia.
You would put 12 miles on your sensible walking shoes trying to see all of it.

Between jet lag and a serious fit of the tizzies over seeing the Mother of Paris Art Museums, we were up at 3:30 our first morning and wandering deserted streets looking for coffee. We finally found a McCafé over on Rue de Rivoli that opened early and so fortified with latte and pastry, we were ready to conquer the vast and hallowed halls of Palais du Louvre.

Much has been written about best ways to get yourself inside without hours of standing about so I'll just offer up what worked for us. The Carrousel de Louvre shopping center entrance on Rue de Rivoli was a winner as it allowed us to wait inside on a drizzly day, and the short queue, 1/2 hour before opening, was split into ticket and pass-holder lines. Take the escalator down from the mall entrance and walk all the way down the hall to the inverted glass pyramid; the Louvre entrance will be on the left. Porte de Lions and Passage Richelieu entrances are also very good for skipping the long lines at the Pyramid entrance outside. At all entrances you will have to undergo a security inspection.

The website is your best source of current information, and it is a wealth of it: interactive floor plans; virtual tours; visitor amenities; rules and regulations; etc. Do spend some time browsing the contents before your visit as it'll help you hit the ground running!

In a nutshell:
• Open every day from 9:00 - 6:00 except Tuesdays and some holidays. See website for current ticket prices, EEA free admission, etc. Children under age 18 are free.

• Open until 9:45 PM on Wednesdays and Fridays. This is a great way to spend an evening when other museums are closed! I will mention that some of the windowed galleries are very dimly lit so their paintings will be difficult to see after dark.

• Your ticket/museum pass allows you to leave/re-enter the museum during the day. A Paris Museum Pass allows you as many visits as the duration days of your pass.

• Photography and video recording are allowed but no flash

• Multimedia guides are available for rent in 6 different languages, and multiple profiles (adult, child, hearing-impared, etc.)

• There are free maps of all three wings at the visitor's entrance hall. If there is a very popular piece you want to see - such as the Mona Lisa - I would suggest knowing the location before you go and making a beeline to it when the doors open. The floor plans on the website will help you locate the most visited pieces or genres of art: click "floor plans" under "Plan your visit."

• The background and architecture of this former palace is as impressive as the collections so a read of its history is highly recommended: http://www.louvre.fr/en/history-louvre

Address: 1st arrondissement
Directions: Métro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre
Website: http://www.louvre.fr/en