Louvre Museum

The world's largest art museum, in the former royal palace on the right bank of the Seine; first opened as a public collection of the nation on 10 August 1793. Its 35,000 displayed works span eight departments - Egyptology, ancient Mesopotamia, Greek and Roman sculpture, Italian and French painting. Highlights include the Mona Lisa behind armoured glass in the Salle des Etats, the Winged Victory of Samothrace on its staircase pedestal, and the Venus de Milo in the Galerie des Antiques. The 1989 I. M. Pei glass pyramid serves as main entrance. Book tickets in advance online; Wednesday and Friday late openings (until 21:45) are much calmer than daytime.