Louvre Museum Booking Guide 2026: Tickets & Masterpiece Route

How to Book Tickets on the Louvre Official Website

Paris Museum Pass & Route for the Must-See Masterpieces

The Louvre Museum is an absolute must-visit on any trip to Paris!

But between pickpockets and frequent strikes,

so many travelers end up missing out on this incredible place.

Today, I'm going to share everything from how to book on the official website, insider entry tips,

the best times to visit, to the perfect route for seeing all the main masterpieces!

Admission Tickets

When it comes to getting into the Louvre,

there are three main options: Standard Tickets,

the Paris Museum Pass, and Guided Tours.

Each option has its pros and cons, so you can choose

the one that best fits your travel itinerary.

Since I also wanted to visit the Musée d'Orsay,

Sainte-Chapelle, and the Panthéon, I had quite a long list!

So, I decided to go with the 4-day Paris Museum Pass.

How to Book on the Official Website

Site officiel du musée du Louvre

Whether you have a Museum Pass or a standard ticket,

making a time-slot reservation is absolutely mandatory.

Head over to the official website, switch the language to English,

and click on the "Tickets" button.

If you've already bought the Museum Pass, click the red button

to make your free reservation. Otherwise, you can go ahead and book

your date and time slot directly with a standard ticket purchase.

The museum is closed on Tuesdays, and Mondays can sometimes be unpredictable

due to sudden strikes,

so I highly recommend booking your visit between Wednesday and Friday.

Many people try to queue up early for the 9:30 AM opening,

but I wanted a slightly more relaxed experience,

so I booked the 5:30 PM slot.

Going later in the day definitely paid off—it was much less crowded!

Next, you'll need to create an account.

When signing up, it's better to use Gmail or other global email providers

rather than regional emails like Naver.

Naver emails often run into delivery or system errors.

If you keep getting errors, try shortening your address fields

(it doesn't have to be 100% accurate, so don't worry about it).

Since I had the Museum Pass, I was able to get my booking confirmation

and ticket sent straight to my email without any extra fees.

You'll need to scan the QR code inside the PDF ticket at the entrance,

so it's a great idea to download it to your phone in advance

or keep a screenshot handy.

Insider Entry Tips

The lines around the main glass pyramid get incredibly long!

Instead of the main entrance, head over to the left and enter through "Le Carrousel du Louvre"—

it's usually much faster and a whole lot less stressful!

If you head down to the B1 level, you'll spot the famous Inverted Pyramid—

and yes, this is the entrance!

They say even this spot gets pretty crowded these days,

but waiting indoors is definitely better than standing outside!

I arrived about 30 minutes earlier than my reserved time,

but there was no line at all, so I got to walk right in!

Must-See Masterpieces & Best Routing

Because the Louvre holds an absolutely massive collection of art,

trying to see every single piece is virtually impossible.

It’s highly recommended to pick out your must-sees in advance

and map out your route ahead of time.

You can grab a printed guide map in your preferred language at the desk,

but keeping an eye on the directory boards scattered around

is actually much more accurate and helpful.

Also, keep in mind that floor numbering here might be different from back home.

Level 0 is the Ground Floor (US 1st floor),

and Level 1 is actually the 2nd floor. Knowing this beforehand

will save you from getting completely turned around!

Winged Victory of Samothrace (Nike)

Level 1, Room 703 (Staircase)

First up is the breathtaking Winged Victory of Samothrace!

Most people rush straight to the Mona Lisa, but since Nike sits right

on the staircase along the way,

it's perfect to admire her first before moving on.

Leonardo da Vinci - Mona Lisa

Level 1, Room 711

The legendary Mona Lisa is showcased deep inside Level 1 of the Denon Wing!

There are plenty of signs pointing you toward her from the moment you enter,

so you definitely won’t get lost.

Visiting in the afternoon definitely paid off—the crowds were quite manageable!

Instead of squinting from the back, you just have to wait a brief moment

for the front space to clear up,

and you can get a great, close-up look.

Seeing it in person, the painting was surprisingly small!

And unlike other works, you can't get incredibly close to it—

likely due to its famous history of being stolen in the past.

Raphael - La Belle Jardinière

Level 1, Room 710

As you step out into the hallway after seeing the Mona Lisa,

you'll pass a long gallery lined with incredibly famous masterpieces.

Among them is one of the most celebrated works by Raphael,

one of the three legendary masters of the High Renaissance!

Eugène Delacroix - Liberty Leading the People

Level 1, Room 700

This powerful masterpiece is based on the July Revolution in France.

The composition is incredibly dynamic and absolutely bursts with energy.

Théodore Géricault - The Raft of the Medusa

Level 1, Room 700

This piece was inspired by the tragic, real-life shipwreck

of the French naval frigate Méduse.

Jacques-Louis David - The Coronation of Napoleon

Level 1, Room 702

The Coronation of Napoleon is originally supposed to be on display on Level 1 of the Denon Wing,

but when I visited, I couldn't find it anywhere—

perhaps it was loaned out to another museum!

Venus de Milo

Level 0, Room 346

This is the Venus de Milo, which is probably

the most famous ancient Greek sculpture of all time.

It's incredibly massive when you see it in person!

The Great Sphinx

Level 0, Room 338

Level 0 houses the Egyptian Antiquities department,

which is full of giant, awe-inspiring relics besides the Great Sphinx.

Code of Hammurabi

Level 0, Room 227

Maybe because it's tucked so deep inside that it's a bit tricky to find,

but the Code of Hammurabi was surprisingly quiet and uncrowded!

You've probably all heard of 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth' at least once, right?

Napoleon III Apartments

Level 1

This is the space built by Napoleon III to display

the prosperity and grand authority of France.

In person, it looks every bit as lavish and spectacular as the Palace of Versailles.

You can really get a sense of how extravagant the nobility was back then.

From the ceilings and walls to the glittering chandeliers,

absolutely everything sparkles so much it's almost dazzling!

They say the Louvre houses over 380,000 works of art,

so if I get the chance next time, I'd love to go back

and take my time exploring even more of the collections.

If you have any other questions, feel free to leave a comment below!

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