The Musée du Louvre is a French national institution exhibiting art objects dating from prehistory to the 21st century. The collection ranges from Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities to paintings, prints and drawings.
The original building was a royal palace until Louis XIV moved his court to the Palace of Versailles. Gradually, over the following years, the old palace became an exhibition space for the royal collection. In 1793, following the French Revolution, the building became the official home of the nation's materpieces.
The collections have grown over the years. The creation of the famous glass pyramid in the 1980s increasing the amount of gallery space and opening the way for more visitors.
Famous exhibits include the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Nike of Samothrace.
The Louvre is the second most visited museum in the world with over 9 million visitors in 2014 so expect queues at busy times.
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