Louvre Museum facts are better with dates attached, so this page gives you a timeline, the story by period and a numbered list of 14 facts with a source for each. I wrote it from Wikipedia, Wikidata and the museum’s official site, and I give numbers exactly as those sources give them. The Louvre Museum history starts with a fortress, not a gallery, and the building you walk through is a palace that took centuries to finish. When you are ready to go in, my page on tickets for the Louvre Museum compares the options.
Louvre Museum History Timeline
Year
What happened
Late 12th century
Philip II begins the Louvre Palace
14th century
Charles V converts it from a fortress into a residence
1546
Francis I starts rebuilding it in French Renaissance style
1682
Louis XIV chooses Versailles and work at the Louvre slows
1791
The Assembly declares the Louvre will hold the monuments of the sciences and arts
1793
The museum opens on 10 August with 537 paintings and 184 objects of art
1803
Renamed Musee Napoleon in July
1939
Evacuation of the collection begins on 27 August
1946
Reopens after the war; closed on Tuesdays since
1989
The underground lobby under the I. M. Pei pyramid opens on 30 March
1993
The Carrousel du Louvre opens in October
2018
A record 10.2 million visitors
2025
9.0 million visitors
Louvre Museum History: Fortress and Palace
Philip II began the Louvre Palace in the late 12th century to protect the city from the west, at a time when England still held Normandy, according to Wikipedia. In the 14th century Charles V converted the building from a military role into a residence. In 1546 Francis I started rebuilding it in French Renaissance style, and Wikidata lists Pierre Lescot as the architect. When Louis XIV chose Versailles as his residence in 1682, construction at the Louvre slowed.
From Royal Palace to Public Museum
The Revolution changed the building’s purpose. In 1791 the National Constituent Assembly declared that the Louvre would be a place for bringing together the monuments of all the sciences and arts. The museum opened on 10 August 1793 as the Museum central des Arts de la Republique, with 537 paintings and 184 objects of art. Wikidata gives 1793 as the opening year.
It closed in 1796 because of structural deficiencies and reopened on 14 July 1801. In July 1803, on the suggestion of Vivant Denon, it was renamed Musee Napoleon. After 1815 Louis XVIII concluded agreements with Austria for keeping certain works, such as Veronese’s Wedding at Cana.
Louvre Museum Facts From the 19th Century
The collection kept growing. Wikipedia says the museum added 20,000 new artefacts between 1852 and 1870, and that in 1861 Napoleon III bought 11,835 artworks, including 641 paintings, from the Campana collection. On 23 May 1871 Communards set fire to the adjoining Tuileries Palace, and the museum itself was saved by firemen and staff.
The Winged Victory of Samothrace, one of the best-known works, was found in the Aegean Sea in 1863 and displayed on the Escalier Daru in 1883.
The Second World War
On 27 August 1939 truck convoys began leaving Paris to evacuate the collection, and by 28 December 1939 most works had been removed. The Mona Lisa was moved to the Chateau de Chambord, where most paintings were sent, and the Winged Victory and the Venus de Milo went to the Chateau de Valencay. The museum reopened in 1946 and has been closed on Tuesdays since then, according to Wikipedia.
Louvre Museum Facts: The Pyramid Era
The modern Louvre dates from the 1980s. The pyramid was proposed in 1984, and the underground lobby under the I. M. Pei pyramid opened on 30 March 1989. The Carrousel du Louvre, centred on the Inverted Pyramid, opened in October 1993, and the same year the main entrance moved to the underground Hall Napoleon under the pyramid. The Louvre-Lens satellite opened in 2012 and Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2017, although Wikipedia notes the latter is a separate museum.
Louvre Museum Facts About Size and Visitors Today
The scale is the part of the Louvre Museum history people quote most, and the most quoted Louvre Museum facts are these numbers. Wikipedia says about 500,000 objects are in the museum overall and about 38,000 are on display at any time, across 72,735 square metres, with over 60,600 square metres dedicated to the permanent collection. Another section gives 615,797 objects in 2019, with 35,000 on display, so I treat the object counts as approximate.
Visitor numbers have swung. The record was 10.2 million in 2018, followed by 9.6 million in 2019 and 2.7 million in 2020 because of COVID-19 closures. In 2023 there were 8.9 million, 14 percent above 2022, and 9.0 million in 2025. Wikidata lists 2,825,000 for 2021.
What These Louvre Museum Facts Mean for a Visit
The Louvre Museum facts above explain two things you notice on arrival. First, the building is a palace that grew over centuries, so the wings, courtyards and staircases do not follow a modern museum plan, and about 38,000 objects are spread across 72,735 square metres. Second, the entrance is underground, because since 1993 the main entrance has been the Hall Napoleon under the pyramid. With 9.0 million visitors in 2025 according to Wikipedia, the museum ranks first globally among art museums, which is why many readers choose a guided route over wandering alone.
The Louvre Museum Now
Two recent events matter for a visit. Wikipedia reports a robbery through a forced window in the Galerie d’Apollon on 19 October 2025, in which jewellery was stolen, and says renovation and expansion are set to begin in September 2026, following an announcement by President Macron in January 2025. Closed areas and hours change, so check the official site for what is open on your date.
14 Louvre Museum Facts With Sources
Philip II began the Louvre Palace in the late 12th century (Wikipedia).
Francis I started the Renaissance rebuilding in 1546 (Wikipedia).
Wikidata gives 1793 as the opening year (Wikidata).
It opened with 537 paintings and 184 objects of art (Wikipedia).
In 1861 Napoleon III bought 11,835 artworks from the Campana collection (Wikipedia).
The Winged Victory of Samothrace was found in 1863 (Wikipedia).
The museum has been closed on Tuesdays since 1946 (Wikipedia).
The underground lobby under the pyramid opened on 30 March 1989 (Wikipedia).
About 38,000 objects are on display across 72,735 square metres (Wikipedia).
The record year was 2018, with 10.2 million visitors (Wikipedia).
There were 8.9 million visitors in 2023 (Wikipedia).
Wikidata lists 2,825,000 visitors for 2021 (Wikidata).
See the Louvre Museum Facts With a Guide
A guide connects these Louvre Museum facts to the rooms. The most-reviewed tour in my comparison is the Mona Lisa and iconic masterpieces tour at $66, rated 4.7 from 7,135 reviews, lasting 2 hours with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
GetYourGuide France
Louvre Museum Tour Mona Lisa & Iconic Masterpieces
★4.7 (7,135 reviews)
2 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The most-reviewed guided tour: $66, 4.7 from 7,135 reviews, 2 hours, free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Guided tour in English
✓ Licensed guide
✓ Pre-reserved entrance ticket (€28 per adult) and reservation fee (€90 per group) are included
✓ Under 18 years old and some other categories, admission is free. Prices have been adjusted accordingly
✓ Headsets to hear the guide better
✓ Standard group (max 20 participants)
Not included / not suitable
✕ Transportation
✕ Food and drinks
✕ Small (max 6 participants) or private group
Meeting point: Do not go to the Louvre museum directly.
Meet at the time selected at the Kiosque des Noctambules, a colorful artistic structure decorated with Murano glass beads facing the Comédie Française. It is a 5-minute walk from the Louvre entrance.
Look for your guide holding a GetYourGuide flag; they will arrive at the tour start time, not before.
The nearest metro stop is Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre (exit "Place Colette") 12 Pl. Colette, 75001 Paris, France
Languages: Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, English
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“Great guide. She was very knowledgeable about art and history.” – GetYourGuide review
For a cheaper tour with a higher rating, the Exploring Tours skip-the-line highlights tour costs $55 and is rated 4.9 from 456 reviews, at 2 to 2.5 hours.
Exploring Tours and Services
Skip the Line Guided Tour of Louvre Museum Highlights
★4.9 (456 reviews)
2 - 2.5 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The value pick: $55, 4.9 from 456 reviews, skip-the-line highlights in 2 to 2.5 hours.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Skip-the-line tickets for the Louvre Museum (€28 entrance ticket for adults)
✓ Experienced, licensed guide
✓ Available in English, Spanish, Italian & French
✓ Can also be booked as a private tour
Not included / not suitable
✕ Food and drinks
✕ Pickup and drop off to your hotel
Meeting point: The guide will meet you at the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel 15 minutes before the tour starts and will hold a GetYourGuide sign. Pl. du Carrousel, 75001 Paris, France
Languages: Spanish, English, Italian, French, Chinese
Duration: 2 - 2.5 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“Francois was a great guide and went the extra mile to show us so many great things. He went beyond the tour to take us to another area we wanted to see.” – GetYourGuide review
Wikipedia says the museum opened on 10 August 1793 as the Museum central des Arts de la Republique, with 537 paintings and 184 objects of art. Wikidata gives 1793 as the opening year. In 1791 the National Constituent Assembly had declared that the Louvre would bring together monuments of all the sciences and arts.
Was the Louvre a palace before it was a museum?+
Yes. Wikipedia says Philip II began the Louvre Palace in the late 12th century to protect the city from the west. In the 14th century Charles V turned it into a residence, and in 1546 Francis I started rebuilding it in French Renaissance style. Louis XIV chose Versailles in 1682.
How many visitors does the Louvre get?+
Wikipedia gives 10.2 million in 2018, a record, 9.6 million in 2019, 2.7 million in 2020 because of COVID-19 closures, 8.9 million in 2023 and 9.0 million in 2025. Wikidata lists 2,825,000 for 2021.
How many objects are in the Louvre?+
Wikipedia gives about 500,000 objects in the museum overall and about 38,000 on display at any time across 72,735 square metres. It also says the collection held 615,797 objects in 2019, with 35,000 on display, so the figures depend on the year and the count.
Why is the Louvre closed on Tuesdays?+
Wikipedia says the museum reopened in 1946 after the Second World War and has been closed on Tuesdays since then. Check the official site, louvre.fr, for current hours and any exceptional closures.
Where was the Mona Lisa during the war?+
Wikipedia says the Mona Lisa was moved to the Chateau de Chambord, where most paintings were sent, while the Winged Victory and the Venus de Milo went to the Chateau de Valencay. The convoys began leaving Paris on 27 August 1939.
