Use this guide if you are visiting the Louvre in Paris and need to decide which ticket to book, which entrance to use, and what to do with bags before you reach security.
ByMomentBook Editorial·Published
Use this guide if you are visiting the Louvre in Paris and need to decide which ticket to book, which entrance to use, and what to do with bags before you reach security. It is written for independent visitors who want a practical plan rather than a broad museum introduction.
The main constraint is that the Louvre is both a timed-ticket museum and a high-security public site. Prices now depend on EEA status, time slots are recommended even for free admission, exits are final, and the wrong entrance or an oversize bag can waste the slot you thought you had protected.
What to know first
The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays. The normal museum schedule is 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, and 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM on Wednesday and Friday.
Last entry is one hour before closing and rooms are cleared 30 minutes before closing, so a late slot is not the same as a full visit.
The general admission ticket is €22 for EEA visitors and €32 for non-EEA visitors, with rates listed as applicable from 14 January 2026.
Under-18s and EEA residents or citizens under 26 can enter free with the required proof, but the Louvre still recommends booking a time-stamped ticket.
Tickets are valid only for the chosen date and time. They cannot be changed, exchanged or refunded unless the Louvre cancels or modifies the relevant service.
Suitcases and large bags are not allowed, and any item over 55 x 35 x 20 cm is refused in the welcome area and exhibition rooms.
The Louvre Pyramid and Cour Napoleon entrance area in Paris
Source: Wikimedia Commons / Maksim Sokolov, CC BY-SA 4.0; the image shows the Pyramid courtyard, the main orientation point for individual Louvre visitors.
Choose the ticket by status, not by reseller name
Start with the official price page, not with a search result promising a faster queue. The Louvre warns visitors to avoid mirror sites, street vendors and tickets that claim to let you jump the queue. A real plan begins with your visitor status and the official ticketing service.
For paid general admission, the official page lists two rates. EEA residents and citizens pay €22; non-EEA visitors pay €32. That ticket covers the Louvre's permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, and it also gives same-day or next-day admission to the Musée National Eugène-Delacroix when that museum is open.
Free admission is not the same as walking in without planning. Under-18 visitors, EEA citizens or residents under 26, disabled visitors and their accompanying person, and several professional or social categories may qualify, but proof is required. The Louvre recommends time-slot bookings for free-admission visitors too. If you qualify, choose the matching free-admission option rather than arriving with only your ID.
The free public windows are narrow. The Louvre is free for all visitors on the first Friday of the month after 6:00 PM, except in July and August, and on 14 July. Those dates still need a booking check, and they are not a good fallback if you need a quiet, predictable visit.
Time the visit around hours, last entry and final exit
The museum rhythm matters more than the headline opening time. On Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday the Louvre is normally open 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. On Wednesday and Friday it is normally open 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Tuesday is the weekly closure day. The museum is also closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December, and it remains open on other public holidays unless they fall on a Tuesday.
Late-day tickets need special care. Last entry is one hour before closing, and the clearing of rooms begins 30 minutes before closing. A 5:00 PM arrival on a 6:00 PM closing day may be technically possible, but it leaves little margin for security, orientation and moving between wings. If you want a calmer first visit, book earlier than the final entry window.
Any exit is final. The ticket is not a day pass for leaving and returning after lunch. Decide whether you need food, a restroom stop, a map, an audio guide or a cloakroom visit before you start chasing a specific artwork. Once you leave the controlled area, the visit is over.
Some rooms may close during the week because of renovation or operational limits. The official map page tells visitors to check the room-closure schedule or ask staff on the day. Build your route around priorities rather than assuming every gallery will be open at the same time.
Pick the entrance before you reach the courtyard
The Pyramid is the main entrance for individual visitors. It has separate queues for visitors with a ticket or Paris Museum Pass, visitors without tickets, and priority access for disabled visitors and staff. If you booked online, look for the queue for people with a time slot rather than simply joining the longest line.
The Carrousel entrance at 99 rue de Rivoli can be used by all visitors, including groups, members and visitors with tickets. It can make sense in bad weather, when arriving by metro or underground parking, or when the Pyramid courtyard is congested. Check current access conditions before relying on it, because entrance operations can change.
Richelieu is not a general shortcut. It is reserved for groups, small reserved groups with an official guide, visitors taking part in a museum activity, auditorium-event visitors, membership-card holders and certain card-bearing institutions. The Passage Richelieu entrance closes after 5:30 PM, and after 7:30 PM on Wednesday and Friday.
Porte des Lions is only for visitors who already have admission tickets. It closes at 6:00 PM, is closed on Tuesdays, has last entry at 5:00 PM, offers no equipment loans, and its cloakroom is accessible only until 5:00 PM. Treat it as a conditional entrance, not as a backup you can always use.
Plan bags, security and photography before you leave
Security is part of the visit. All visitors must comply with checks at the museum entrances. The Louvre does not allow suitcases or large bags, and any item over 55 x 35 x 20 cm is refused. If you are coming from a hotel checkout or a station transfer, store luggage before you arrive at the museum.
Small-item lockers are free, but they do not solve every bag problem. Lockers are available beneath the Pyramid and at Porte des Lions, and everything left there must be collected the same day. The museum says visitors remain responsible for valuables left in lockers. Do not put passports, cards or critical travel documents in a locker unless you are comfortable with that risk.
The visitor rules also matter inside the galleries. You may not eat, drink, smoke, touch artworks, run or make excessive noise in exhibition rooms. Weapons, tools, blunt objects, explosive or flammable substances, heavy or foul-smelling items, large quantities of food or drink, and animals are prohibited, except guide or assistance dogs accompanying visitors with motor or mental impairment.
Photography is allowed for personal use in the permanent collections, but selfie sticks, flash and lighting are prohibited. Temporary exhibitions may have stricter rules for particular works. If photography is a major reason for your visit, plan to be flexible and follow room signage.
Use accessibility, maps and audio guide without slowing down
The Louvre strongly advises all visitors, including visitors with access needs, to book a time slot in advance to guarantee admission if the museum is crowded. Disabled visitors and their accompanying person enter free with supporting documents and receive priority access without queuing at reception areas and museum entrances.
The Pyramid's central tube lift is reserved for disabled visitors, wheelchair users and visitors with prams. Bus lines serving the Louvre are equipped for passengers with reduced mobility, and staff in the assistance area can help plan a route. Wheelchairs, folding stools, canes, pushchairs, baby carriers and multifunctional rolling chairs are available free of charge in exchange for a piece of ID.
Maps and audio help only if you plan when to collect them. Information desks under the Pyramid provide maps in nine languages. The audio guide costs €6, can be booked in advance, and is available in French, English, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean and Japanese. A single person can buy up to six admission tickets and rent up to six audio guides.
Free Wi-Fi is available under the Pyramid and in the exhibition rooms. The connection lasts one hour and can be renewed as needed. Download tickets before arriving anyway, because the first minutes under the Pyramid are better used for orientation than for solving a login problem.
Common mistakes that cost time or money
Do not buy from a site just because it says fast-track. The Louvre specifically warns against mirror sites, street vendors and tickets that claim queue-jump privileges. Use the official ticketing service and match the ticket to your status.
Do not assume a free-admission right removes the need to book. The Louvre advises time-stamped tickets for free visitors. Bring proof and choose the correct free option in the booking flow.
Do not schedule the Louvre between checkout and a train with luggage in hand. Large bags and suitcases are refused, and lockers are only for smaller permitted items.
Do not choose an entrance by rumor. Pyramid, Carrousel, Richelieu and Porte des Lions serve different visitors and have different restrictions. Check the entrance map on the morning of your visit.
Do not treat a late ticket as a full evening. Last entry is one hour before closing, rooms clear 30 minutes before closing, and Richelieu and Porte des Lions have their own closing constraints.
Who should choose which plan
Choose a paid timed ticket if you are an adult visitor who does not clearly qualify for free admission. The price depends on EEA status, so bring proof if you intend to use the EEA visitor rate. Non-EEA visitors should budget for the €32 rate rather than assuming the lower price applies to everyone.
Choose a free-admission booking if you are under 18, an EEA citizen or resident under 26, a disabled visitor, the accompanying person of a disabled visitor, or another eligible visitor with the right proof. The time slot protects the plan; the proof protects the price.
Choose an earlier day slot if this is your first Louvre visit, if you are traveling with children, if you need accessibility equipment, or if the Mona Lisa and Denon wing are only one part of a broader route. The museum is too large to save everything for the final entry hour.
Choose an evening slot on Wednesday or Friday if you want later opening hours and can handle a focused route. It works best when you already know your priority rooms and do not need a long first-orientation phase.
What to recheck before you go
Recheck the official hours page for your exact date, because special notices, weekly closures, public holidays and room-clearing times affect the real visit length. Confirm whether the day is a Tuesday or one of the three fixed closure dates.
Recheck the ticket page for the current rate, your EEA/free-admission proof, the time-slot availability, and whether any Hall Napoléon exhibition needs a separate slot. Keep the ticket offline or printed, and keep ID or supporting documents easy to reach.
Recheck the entrance map on the morning of your visit. Decide between Pyramid, Carrousel and any conditional entrance before reaching the courtyard. If you need step-free access, a pram route or assistance equipment, plan around the Pyramid and accessibility information rather than improvising in the queue.
Recheck your bag before leaving the hotel. Anything over 55 x 35 x 20 cm should not come to the museum. Bring only what you can carry through security and keep valuables with you.
