How to Plan a Visit to the Louvre

Putting the Louvre in Paris was poor planning. Is there not enough to see in Paris without the world's most fabulous museum, too? And the Louvre is huge and demanding, so have a solid game plan in place.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Plan your trip carefully. Forget August. Every French person and most of their German, Italian and British relatives are on vacation then and will be in line ahead of you.
2. Take the Metro. It travels from downtown Paris to the Louvre. Consult your hotel concierge for times and stations.
3. Get advance tickets through TicketNet.com or TicketWeb.com and arrive early in the day for your best chance for a light crowd. Advance ticket holders bypass the long lines at the on-site ticket booths and go straight to the entrance.
4. Obtain a printed museum guide. A bookstore that sells travel literature should have one. Study the guide and identify the items you definitely want to see. Wandering about the museum might be relaxing and rewarding, but you will definitely miss something.
5. Rent an audio player for an low-key guided tour at your pace.
6. Review the major collections. You probably can't see them all, so focus on your favorites, including of course Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. In addition to famous European paintings, there are exhibits of Oriental art, Greek relics, and sculpture. Study as much history and background in advance for a truly memorable visit.
7. Check online (www.louvre.fr/louvrea.htm) to verify which exhibits are open. Different segments of the museum have different schedules, and timing the openings and closings is complicated.
8. Bring a lunch. Food is expensive and most spots will be crowded.

Tips & Warnings

• Take an art history course before your trip to Paris.
• There is no air-conditioning in the Louvre. Dress accordingly in the summer.
• Be sure to express your opinion about the infamous I.M. Pei-designed glass pyramid in the courtyard.
• Practice using your camera indoors without a flash: Hold your camera very still when you take pictures (your shutter speeds will be slow to compensate for the low light). Film rated ASA400 is a good choice.
• Buy postcards or reproductions at the Louvre, but save major book purchases for home. Museum stores in the United States carry the same or better material than is available at the Louvre store.