The Louvre Museum in Paris is a must-visit for any traveler. Being one of the most visited museum in the world, it’s very busy almost all year, which decreases your chances to truly enjoy Louvre famous art works. You’ll definitely want to have a look at the famous Mona Lisa but to get through the crowds of curious visitors can be a pretty challenging task. Even though this museum with its more than 35000 objects to demonstrate to the public is always very crowded there is still the best time to visit the Louvre museum in Paris.
This is the only ultimate guide you need to check to find out what is the best time to visit Louvre; keep reading to get more details about museum busiest and least busiest time, best day to go, best time of the day, how to beat the crowds and other useful visitor’s tips in 2025.
General Info
- Buy skip the line Louvre museum tickets in advance
- Buy Paris Museum Pass and SAVE on visiting the Louvre and 60 other museums around Paris.
- Working hours: Wednesday – Monday, 9.00 – 18.00, closed on Tuesday, Friday – 9.00 – 21.45, last entry – one hour before closing time.
- Address: Rue de Rivoli, 75001, Paris
- On the map
Best Day of the Week to Visit the Louvre
Museum is closed on Tuesdays, which means that on Wednesday there will be long lines of visitors. Keeping this in mind the best day of the week to visit the Louvre museum is on Monday or on Thursday.
Louvre Busiest Days
It’s better to avoid weekends as it’s super crowded. The same for Friday, especially if you’re going to visit from 13.00 till 18.00 it’s very busy, so it’s better to skip these Louvre museum hours.
The Louvre Museum offers free admission on the first Sunday of each month, which may sound like an enticing opportunity to save money. However, this promotion tends to attract a significantly higher number of visitors compared to other days, resulting in long queues and overcrowding throughout the museum.
Due to the large influx of visitors on these free Sundays, the Louvre can become quite chaotic, making it difficult to fully appreciate the exhibits and navigate the museum comfortably. Additionally, the increased crowds can lead to longer waiting times for entry and a less enjoyable overall experience.
Check Louvre Museum Tickes Availability and Prices
Best time to go to the Louvre
The best time of day to go the Louvre Museum in Paris is typically early in the morning, shortly after it opens, or during the evening hours, closer to closing time. A large influx of tourists is usually observed during the day, at lunchtime and in the afternoon. Especially during this period there are many group tours.
Visit Louvre in the Morning
Visiting the Louvre early in the morning can be a great way to enjoy the museum’s exhibits with fewer people around. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your early morning visit: Aim to arrive at the museum shortly before it opens to ensure you’re among the first visitors to enter. This will give you a head start on exploring the exhibits before the crowds begin to arrive later in the morning.
Consider purchasing tickets in advance online to skip the ticket queues and save time upon arrival. Familiarize yourself with the museum’s layout beforehand and plan your route to optimize your time. Decide which exhibits or artworks you most want to see and prioritize them accordingly.
Visit Louvre at Night
You can also visit Louvre Museum at night: each Friday it has longer opening hours, till 9.45 pm. Visiting Louvre in the evening can offer a unique experience compared to daytime visits as it is least crowded time. If you’re planning to visit on another day, arrive at 3.00 pm and you’ll be surprised that there are almost no lines.
A special entourage of museum exhibits is added by light illumination during night visits. But you should also note that most of the exhibitions will be closed during evening hours, usually they start closing at 17.30. There are other tips for visiting the Louvre museum for better experience.
Louvre Tours by Night
If you’re not limited in time and looking for the best possible Louvre visiting expereince, consider joining night tour with a certified guide, which takes place every Friday. Night tours are very popular, so the number of spots available is limited. For sure, there were less crowds of tourists and more space to enjoy the famous masterpieces.
For those interested, consider joining the night tour offered by GetYourGuide. You can choose one of the time slots: 6.00 pm or 8.00 pm. The main advantage of such an option is that the tour is customized according to your interests. Click here to check the dates and slots available for booking.
How to beat the crowd?
- Buy online tickets in advance. It will save you a lot of time waiting in the queues. Together with skip-the-line Louvre tickets you can book guided tour and check all the famous masterpieces, like Venus de Milo, within several hours. You should also know that there is a security check that every visitor has to come through before entering the museum.
- If you have certain preferences and want to see particular museum’s collection, like, for example Egyptian Antiqueties, make sure to take Louvre museum map, otherwise you can just get lost in museum complex.
- For those, interested in Mona Lisa, there is an option to book tickets with guidance to this masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci.
Check different entrances
There are several museum entrances, with glass pyramid entrance being the main one, which means its very busy. Depending on visitor’s category you belong to, there are other options, except Louvre pyramid entrance, to enter the museum. If you have a ticket, you can avoid crowds by choosing Carrousel du Louvre or Porte des Lions.
Those who need to buy Louvre tickets have to go to main pyramid entrance and follow orange queue.
Best Season to Visit the Louvre museum
The off-peak season for visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris typically coincides with periods when tourist numbers are lower.
The Louvre in Winter
Late November to early March (excluding holiday periods): This period encompasses late fall, winter, and early spring, excluding major holiday periods such as Christmas and New Year’s. Tourist numbers tend to decrease during this period due to colder weather and fewer travelers visiting Paris.
In terms of choosing the best season to go to Louvre museum, winter time is the best option. You can fully enjoy your visit to the Louvre on your own, or by joining the group tour.
Spring
Spring months are also marked by less crowds of tourists with smooth growth closer to the end of May. Choose the afternoon hours closer to the evening for visiting.
Summer
The peak season in the Louvre lasts from June till August. If you’re traveling to Paris during this time, for better experience, plan to visit in the early hours (come by the opening time) or again the evening hours are the best option.
Autumn
Mid-September to mid-November: This period can also be considered off-peak, especially after the peak summer tourist season has ended. The weather is still generally pleasant during this time, but crowds are typically smaller compared to peak summer months. Fall time is also when the schools and universities start, so the definite part of tourists leave. It starts to get dark much earlier, so you don’t have to wait late at night to enjoy the views of the illuminated pyramid. You can expect a bit less crowds in the museum, but excursions for schoolchildren and students can be organized.
FAQ
Museum is closed on January 1, May 1, December 25. The rest of the year it is open for visitors.
You don’t have to worry about crowds in December. People are mostly concerned about the preparation for Christmas, so you can enjoy your time walking and exploring the masterpieces.
Many visitors are expected during the holiday season, but on average it is pretty empty during winter months.
