Paris is a big cultural city in Europe, so it has many top museums. The Louvre Museum is the largest and most famous one. It has almost 500,000 art pieces from around the world, attracting visitors from everywhere. It's very busy every day before the museum opens. That's why it's good to know about the Louvre's four entrances. Not many people know about these, but knowing them can help you get in faster. Here's what you need to know about these entrances and which one to use for quick entry.
Louvre Entrances - All 4 Entrances To Louvre Explained
I.M. Pei Pyramid
This is the main door to the Louvre Museum, right at the bottom of the big pyramid. There are two lines here. If you have a ticket, your line is short and you can go into the museum quickly after a security check. If you don't have a ticket, your line is long and you must buy a ticket after the security check.
Entrance Timings
July to September 2020, this entrance is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Tuesdays on which Louvre remains closed
Average Wait Time
Up to 10 minutes (with tickets), Over 1 hour (without tickets)
Getting to I.M. Pei Pyramid Entrance
Leave the train at Palais Royal Musée du Louvre Metro station and walk to the entrance at Place du Carrousel. Or, you can ride buses 21, 69, 72, N11, or N24, get off at Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre bus stop, and walk to the entrance.
Carrousel du Louvre
People often call this way in "the mall entrance to the Louvre." It's the simplest way to get in from outside. That's why many people gather at the Carrousel du Louvre entrance. If you don't have a ticket yet, expect to wait a long time in the security line before you can buy one. Sometimes, they only let groups in through this entrance. It's best to check before you wait in line.
Entrance Timings
July to September, this entrance is open from 9am to 6pm, except Tuesdays on which Louvre remains closed.
Average Wait Time
Up to 30 minutes
Getting to Carrousel du Louvre Entrance
You can go into this entrance straight from the Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre Metro Line 1 and 7. You can also get in at 99 Rue de Rivoli. First, get off at the Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre bus stop, then use two escalators to go down underground.
Passage Richelieu (Porte de Richelieu)
If you are visiting the museum in a group or have a yearly pass, you can enter quickly through this door. It's on Rue de Rivoli, next to the Seine river, opposite the Louvres. Near this entrance, there's a sculpture garden you should see. If you plan to use this entrance, book your tickets early.
Entrance Timings
July to September, this entrance is open from 9am to 6pm, except Tuesdays on which Louvre remains closed
Average Wait Time
Up to 10 minutes
Getting to Portes de Lions Entrance
Exit at the Palais Royal Musée du Louvre Metro station and walk to the entrance on Rue de Rivoli. You can also take buses 21, 69, 72, N11, or N24 to the Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre bus stop and walk from there.
Portes de Lions
This entrance is inside the Louvre. The Lions Gate entrance has a normal amount of people. It's near the Louvre Pyramid, so if you want to take pictures of this amazing building without dealing with a lot of people at the main entrance, this is a good choice. When you are in the Louvre area, you can check if this entrance is open and then decide to use it.
Entrance Timings
July to September, this entrance is open from 9 am to 6 pm, except Tuesdays on which Louvre remains closed
Average Wait Time
Over 30 minutes (with tickets only)
Getting to Portes de Lions Entrance
Exit at the Palais Royal Musée du Louvre Metro station and walk to the entrance at Place du Carrousel. Or, you can use buses 21, 69, 72, N11, or N24 to arrive at the Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre bus stop and then walk to the entrance.
UPDATE: As of 2019, this entrance is closed temporarily. Porte de Richelieu can be used for single and group tickets.
Louvre tickets
Louvre Entrances Map
Here's a map to help you understand the locations of each of the Louvre entrances.
FAQs
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Tips for visiting the Louvre Museum
- Irrespective of the seasons, the best day to visit the museum is Thursday. This day sees the least crowd. Avoid weekends.
- The crowds at Louvre Museum tend to clear out towards closing time and you could try to exploit this by buying a closing time entry ticket.
- Purchase Skip The Line tickets for the Louvre Museum and do not miss your time slot. This way, you will have only a few minutes of waiting time.
- If you have purchased a ticket already and plan to use the I.M. Pei Pyramid entrance, make sure you are in the orange line which is for ticket holders.
- Porte de Richelieu is the closest Louvre entrance for Headout Ticket holders ( Louis the XIV's Equestrian Statue, located in front of the glass pyramid at the Louvre)
- Going to the Louvre at night gives you more time to explore other museums and attractions during the day, optimizing your time in Paris. Check out Louvre After Hour Tickets
- Know the museum and target the important area in the museum first. Do not miss the ceiling and the King’s Crown in the Apollo Gallery.
- If you're interested in visiting the best museums in Paris, buying the Paris Museum Pass is highly recommended. Read all about planning your itinerary with the Paris Museum Pass here.
- Admission is free and closing is extended to 9:45 PM on the first Saturday of every month. However, this day also happens to be the most crowded day of the month.
