Paris is a huge city romanticized for it’s architecture, language and music. There are a lot of great places to visit or cute cafes to people watch from. It’s home to several famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triumph and arguably, the most famous museum in the world: the Louvre. What to see at the Louvre in 2 hours will be the most important bit of information regarding your visit there.
Why? Because it is most likely on your Paris itinerary and if you aren’t careful, the Louvre can eat up your time and swallow you whole and you’ll be lost in its confines forever.
To be fair, the Louvre is this iconic, majestic place brimming with culture and history and all these extraordinary artifacts….but I still can’t help it.
I am not a museum person.
And trying to navigate past tourists, then through pots and bowls that were found 500 years ago, to try and get to a hall full of paintings by artists I’ve never even heard of, is the equivalent of me being locked in a room with a bunch of cymbal-playing monkeys that won’t turn off.
I’m sorry. I wish it were different. But the Louvre is HUGE. So huge, that anyone who mildly dislikes museums has a near panic attack just looking at it from the outside. And yet, to others, the size only excites them more and they can’t wait to get in and explore from top to bottom, which is FIVE FLOORS by the way (panic ensues).
Don’t get me wrong. I love art and culture but I’d rather be out experiencing a culture than looking at it through a glass case (which is also terrible for photos). With that being said, the Louvre, in all its grand opulence, is iconic. And whether you like museums or not, it is well worth a visit.
About the Louvre
The Louvre boasts 5 floors and has an expanse of over 652,300 sq feet. There really isn’t anything to compare that to because standing outside the Louvre and trying to get a panorama of the place is nearly impossible. What is even harder to comprehend is that the museum was once a royal palace.
Though the building was expanded upon over a number of years, I just can’t fathom living in a place that large. When the royal family started living at Versailles, the Louvre became a place to hold the family’s extensive collection of art and sculptures. Now, as a museum, the Louvre displays approximately 35,000 antiquities from all over the world.
35,000. That would take WEEKS to explore. We’re talking about what to see at the Louvre in under 2 hours people.
Hours & Tickets
The Louvre is open every day of the week EXCEPT Tuesdays. So if it’s on your list, make sure to plan your trip around its opening days.
Hours: 9:00am-6:00pm
General Tickets: 17 euros for 18+ (about $20 US)
Tickets under 18: free
Combination Ticket (general admission + exhibition): 27 euros (about $31.60 US)
Museum Options
The general admission tickets will let you explore at your leisure. Or you can opt to do an hour and a half guided tour in English or French, which you would need to sign up for in advance. They also have special exhibitions throughout the year as well. You can get more information on tickets and exhibitions here.
How to see the Louvre in under 2 hours:
But who are we kidding. If you’re here, it’s because you don’t want to spend 5 days getting lost in the Louvre to see a fraction of the 35,000+ antiquities. You also probably don’t care about the story behind the artifact. I feel you. So for those of you who are fine with snapping one picture sans audio guide and moving on, here’s how you can experience the Louvre and not lose your mind:
1. Get there early.
I made the beneficial mistake of getting the hours wrong and ended up in line about 35 minutes before it opened. I was about 8th in line. If you’re going to have to wait at some point anyway, you might as well wait to be one of the first ones in. Otherwise, you still have to wait in line in the afternoon AND it’s already crowded inside.
2. Don’t waste time outside.
You want to take pictures of the pyramid, that’s fine. BUT, save this for later. Get in line so you can get in and get out. I’m not ashamed to say that my favorite part about visiting the Louvre was visiting the outside. And the best time to do this is after everyone has gone home and twilight has set in. Once the museum closes and the crowds have dispersed, you can get some amazing pictures of the pyramids lit up.
Photography tip: If you want the famous picture standing by the tip of the glass pyramid, you also want to head here when the museum is closing. You have a better chance of getting a shot without too many people around.
3. Know what you want to see.
I had some inkling of what interested me most, so it was easier to find the locations and go directly towards the attractions. If you don’t know what you are there to see, chances are you will just look around aimlessly while wondering which way to go. Then you have to waste time looking through the brochure to figure it out and therefore prolonging your time spent in a museum.
My first order of business in visiting the Louvre was to find the Mona Lisa. Knowing its popularity, it was a good choice to head there immediately because it was already gathering a small group of people. Since it was still early, I didn’t have to fight off too many people and got a decent picture.
What should you see at the Louvre in 2 hours? These are probably the most sought after artifacts and their locations:
Mona Lisa aka La Gioconda by Leonardo da Vinci- 1st floor paintings
Napoleon’s Coronation- 1st floor paintings
Ramesses II Statue- Ground floor, Egyptian Antiquities
Code of Hammurabi- Ground floor, near Eastern Antiquities
Winged Victory of Samothrace- 1st floor Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities
The Seated Scribe- 1st floor, Egyptian Antiquities
Venus de Milo (Aphrodite)- Ground floor, Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities
The locations are relative and chances are you will still get a little lost. But don’t give up! Ask a guard to point you in the right direction because the clock is ticking!
4. Be strategic.
After you figure out what you want to see, figure out where they are. Time is of the essence and you don’t want to backtrack. So, figure out what’s next to each other and knock out a few at once because heaven forbid you have to backtrack and go to a wing you’ve already been to! (gasps)
The Louvre’s website has some interactive floor plans you may want to check out before hand to help plan your route and minimize your time.
And there you have it. The Louvre is incredibly daunting but that doesn’t mean you need to spend ages sauntering around if you don’t want to. It is entirely possible to spend less than 2 hours inside and still feel like you had a productive visit. Follow these steps while visiting the Louvre in Paris, France and you’ll be sure to be out of there before your museum experience interferes with lunchtime.
Enjoy!
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Thanks a lot! I just followed your guidance. It’s perfect for me !