Louvre Museum

The Louvre's 'Big Three' are its three most famous works: Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the marble sculpture Winged Victory of Samothrace, and the ancient Greek statue Venus de Milo. These iconic pieces are must-see highlights for most visitors to the world-renowned Paris museum. The Mona Lisa is celebrated for its enigmatic smile, the Winged Victory is a dynamic, headless, and armless marble sculpture of the Greek goddess of victory, and the Venus de Milo is an ancient Greek statue of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, recognized for its missing arms.

The Louvre Museum is famous for housing an unparalleled, vast collection of art and artifacts, spanning from ancient civilizations to the mid-19th century, and for being the world's most-visited art museum. Its most iconic works, including Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the ancient Greek sculptures Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace, draw millions of visitors annually. The museum building itself is also historically significant and architecturally notable.

To pronounce 'Louvre,' say 'LOO-vuh' in American English. The French pronunciation is 'LOO-vruh,' with a soft, guttural 'r' at the end, which is hard for non-native speakers to master. The 'L' is pronounced like the 'l' in 'look'. The 'oo' is a long 'oo' sound, like in 'blue'. The 'v' is pronounced like the 'v' in 'very'. The 'r' in French is a soft 'r' sound made at the back of the throat, often simplified to an 'uh' sound for English speakers.

The general admission price for the Louvre was €22 in 2024 and will increase to €30 for non-EU visitors starting January 1, 2026. Standard admission includes entry to permanent collections, temporary exhibitions, and the Eugène-Delacroix National Museum. Prices for specific guided tours or workshops are additional, while admission is free for certain categories, such as visitors under 18 and EU residents under 26.

Beyond the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory, the Louvre Museum boasts countless other significant artworks. Visitors often marvel at the Egyptian Antiquities, including the Great Sphinx of Tanis, and the Code of Hammurabi in the Mesopotamian collection. The Italian Renaissance paintings, French Romanticism, and Dutch Masters are also highly popular sections. Don't miss masterpieces like Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix or the Coronation of Napoleon by David.