What's the Best Day and Time to Visit the Louvre?

Avoid Tuesday, when the Louvre is closed. For the most time inside, go on a Wednesday or Friday, when it stays open until 9 p.m., or book the first slot at 9 a.m. on any other open day. Book a timed ticket on the official website before you go. On some dates it is compulsory.

Opening days and hours

• Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Wednesday and Friday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Tuesday: closed all day.
• Also closed: 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.

Last entry is one hour before closing, and the rooms start clearing 30 minutes before closing. On a 6 p.m. day, that means arriving by 5 p.m. at the latest. In practice you will want to arrive much earlier.

Booking a timed ticket

The Louvre recommends booking a time slot for every visitor, including people who get in free, and on some busy dates booking is compulsory. Check the official hours and admission page for your dates before you travel.

Prices from 14 January 2026:

• €22 for visitors from the European Economic Area (EEA)
• €32 for visitors from outside the EEA

Under-18s get in free. So do EEA residents under 26 and some other groups. Entry is also free for everyone from 6 p.m. on the first Friday of the month (not in July or August) and on 14 July.

Buy only through the official Louvre website. The museum warns about lookalike sites and street sellers offering fake tickets.

Which entrance to use

• Pyramid: the main entrance for individual visitors. If you already have a ticket, use the green priority queue. The orange queue is for people without tickets.
• Carrousel: open to all visitors, including people with tickets. It is the underground entrance, off the shopping arcade.
• Porte des Lions: ticket holders only. It closes at 6 p.m. every day, with last entry at 5 p.m.
• Richelieu: mostly for groups and certain members. It is not for regular individual visitors.

Once you leave, you cannot go back in on the same ticket. Have lunch and use the toilets before you head out.

How long to allow

The Louvre does not give an official visit length. The museum is enormous, so a realistic first visit is about three hours with a short list of must-sees. Some rooms close from time to time, so check the room closure schedule on the website the day before and plan your route around what is open.

Picking your day

For a relaxed visit, an evening on Wednesday or Friday gives you a full afternoon and evening inside. If you prefer to see the museum fresh and spend the rest of the day elsewhere, book the 9 a.m. slot on a Monday, Thursday or weekend. Whichever you pick, leave Tuesday for something else.

Planning your first trip?

The constantXplorer Paris 3-day guide builds the Louvre into a day when it is open, avoids Tuesday, and sets up the nearby sights around your time slot.