The Louvre is a national art museum in Paris, France, located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the city's first arrondissement and home to some of the most canonical works of Western art, including the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace, originally built in the late twelfth to thirteenth century under Philip II, which lost its defensive function through urban expansion and was converted into a royal residence by Francis I in 1546.
Facts
LocationRight Bank of the Seine, 1st arrondissement, Paris, France 1 Architectural StyleRenaissance and Baroque palace with a 1989 modernist glass pyramid entrance by I.M. Pei 1 Building Type Commissioned By ConstructionLate 12th to 13th century per the cited source; the palace was rebuilt and expanded many times since. Floor Area (sqm) Current UseNational art museum displaying the nation's masterpieces 1 Visitor Access9.0 million visitors in 2025, the most-visited art museum in the world 1 Connections
In Form
Former royal palace in Paris, now an art museum, built up across several centuries.
In the Other Atlases
- Also in Architecture and Design Atlas: The Louvre, the same subject.
- Also in Geography Atlas: France, located there.
Sources
1. Louvre (Wikipedia)
WikipediaLead section, paragraph 1
is a national art museum in Paris, France.
Lead section, paragraph 2
The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace, originally built in the late 12th to 13th century under Philip II.
Lead section, paragraph 3
During the French Revolution, the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum to display the nation's masterpieces.
Lead section, paragraph 4
approximately 38,000 objects from prehistory to the 21st century are being exhibited over an area of 72,735 m2 (782,910 sq ft), making it the largest museum in the world.
History, Grand Louvre section
In 1984 I. M. Pei, the architect personally selected by Mitterrand, proposed a master plan including an underground entrance space accessed through a glass pyramid in the Louvre's central Cour Napoléon.
Lead section, paragraph 1, location clause
It is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement (district) and home to some of the most canonical works of Western art, including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory.
Lead section, paragraph 4, visitor-count sentence
It received 9.0 million visitors in 2025. It is ranked as the most-visited art museum, and most-visited museum of any category.
Genre reference
The Louvre is a national art museum in Paris, France, located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the city's first arrondissement and home to some of the most canonical works of Western art, including the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.