Louvre Museum Travel Guide

The most visited museum in the world is this Paris jewel situated along the banks of the River Seine and is home to arguably the most famous painting in the world- Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. The Louvre Palace that houses the gallery was built in the 12th Century as a fortress for King Phillip II, transformed into a royal residence in the 14th Century with expansions and renovations made throughout the years by different French rulers and opened as a public art museum in 1793. Louvre Museum features more than 35,000 art works and 380,000 artifacts from ancient to modern time periods in an exhibit space of 652,300 square feet and employs approximately 2,000 people. It also has 15 cafes, restaurants and eateries as well as a carousel and gardens. More than 9.7 million people annually visit the stunning palace museum with a unique glass pyramid on its magnificent grounds.