The Louvre Museum is one of the oldest museums in France and the largest in the world, housing a collection of over 35,000 art pieces. It is not only an art museum but also offers all visitors a look at the wealthy and royal France’s history with its decorative art collection! First-time visitors planning to explore the Louvre usually overlook this collection and miss out on seeing some of the marvelous furniture, jewelry, and decorative pieces. In this article, we’ll help you locate the Decorative Art Department, peek at its magnificent collection, and learn more about its history!
What is the Department of Decorative Arts?
The Department of Decorative Arts at the Louvre houses an ancient collection of furniture, tapestries, clocks, cooking utensils, and other objects belonging to the Royal Family. It also holds the collection of items belonging to the aristocrats who fled to escape the chaos of the Revolution. Chefs will enjoy seeing an impressive collection of bowls, plates, and dishes from which the Royals dined! You can also see the artwork collection belonging to Edmeantonine Durand, a wealthy art collector, and the painter Pierre Revoil in this Department!
History lovers can also admire a massive collection of artworks from the destroyed Tuileries Palace and the remains of Saint-Cloud. These rooms are the most lavishly decorated in the Museum, as they resemble the interiors of the Palaces royals lived in. The collection the room displays is enhanced by the ancient and authentic-looking interiors of every room, which allows you to picture every artifact in its original environment!
The collections are divided into parts, covering the:
- Napoleon III Apartments
- Objects from the 17th and 19th century and the Middle Ages
- From the Era of King Louis XIV and the Regency
- The Neoclassic Period, and more.
Math lovers can also see a collection of measuring instruments and other mechanical objects showing the development of French scientists and scholars over the years! The Department of Decorative Arts in the Louvre Museum is a must-see for all those who enjoy interior design, jewelry, and learning more about the Royal history of France.
Where is the Louvre Museum of Decorative Arts located?
The Louvre Decorative Arts Department is on the Richelieu Wing’s second floor and occupies a small part of the Sully Wing! It is divided into seven parts, including the Napoleon III Apartments on the first level in the Richelieu Wing. You will find the items in the North and North-West wings of the Carre Couer in the Sully Wing. Visitors can easily access this wing by walking from the Pyramid Entrance towards the Richelieu Wing and taking the lift or escalator to the second floor. We recommend taking a Louvre Museum Guided Tour, which ensures you can locate the Department of Decorative Arts easily!
Louvre Decorative Arts Timings & Closures
The Decorative Arts Department in the Richelieu Wing follows the same timings as the Louvre Museum. The Department is open from 9 am to 6 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and weekends, with the last admission at 5 pm. On Wednesdays and Fridays, the Department is open from 9 am to 8 pm, with the last admission at 7 pm. The Department is closed on Tuesdays.
Check out the table below to see the Department’s timings at a glance:
| Days of the Week | Opening Time | Closing Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays, & Sundays. | 9 am | 6 pm |
| Wednesdays & Fridays | 9 am | 8 pm |
You must exit the Wing half an hour before the Museum closes on all days of the week. The Museum and the Department of Decorative Arts are closed on 1st January, 1st May, and 25th December 2024. At present, all rooms of the Department are not open for viewing, as rooms 516, 550, and 564 are closed to the public for renovations. The Napoleon III Apartments are closed till mid-June 2024 as well.
Louvre Musuem Tickets to explore the Decorative Arts
You must have tickets to explore the Richelieu Wing of the Museum unless you plan to visit when admission is free after 6 pm on the First Friday of the month. The standard Louvre Museum ticket with skip-the-line entry access and a chance to explore all the rooms till the Museum closes costs €25 for visitors between 18 and 99 years old. History and art lovers can enjoy a 2-hour guided experience and a chance to learn more about the history of all items in the Department, costing €84 for visitors 18 to 99 years old. Kids below 18 years can join this guided tour for a discounted price of €69! All tickets allow you to explore the Department of Decorative Arts since it is in the Richelieu Wing, which is one of the main Wings of the Museum.
Highlights of the Department
Visitors who don’t have time to explore the entire Department and all its rooms should at least see some of these best highlights! Here are some of the items:
- Charlemagne’s Statue
A massive statue of Charlemagne, made of bronze, was completely gold-plated in the past when it was crafted in 1807. Alexandre Lenoir found the statue depicting Charlemagne in a royal position, based on the famous equestrian sculptures of Roman Emperors from the past. You will find this statue in Room 1 of the Richelieu Wing.
- Leonard Limousin’s Stained Glass Plates
The stained glass plates depicting colorful images of Saints Paul and Thomas are on display in room 16 of the Richelieu Wing. They were taken from a convent in Paris.
- King Louis XV’s Crown
One of the most unique and beautiful studded ornaments in France is the crown of King Louis XV! It is a must-see item designed by royal jeweler Claude Ronde. Sadly, the crown you will see at the Louvre today has no precious gems since glass stones replaced them. However, jewelry lovers can still admire the unique look of the crown!
- The Napoleon III Apartments
Did you know the Louvre Museum was a Palace in the past? Such a fact is what has inspired the stunning Napoleon III Apartments. The apartments are a slice of the past that replicates Napoleon’s Room as it would be in its glory! You can also see the replicas of the rooms of the Minister of State and others that match the interiors of Bourgeois rooms. The rooms have velvet furniture and gold and stucco elements on the walls, replicating important event spaces where masked balls and more were organized! You will find the Napoleon Apartments in rooms 544 and 545 of the Richelieu Wing,= on the first floor.
History of the Department
When the Museum was founded in 1793, it was decided that it would also house the Department of Decorative Arts. At first, the room only had a small collection of furniture and other objects, after which some bronze items and gems were added in 1796. Abbott Suger’s collection of magnificent vases and other coronation objects of the French kings also became a part of this collection soon after. The shield, helmet, and other armory elements used by King Charles IX attracted many visitors to the Museum!
From 1815, under the rule of Emperor Napoleon, a massive collection of unique decorative items was brought to the Louvre to be a part of this collection. Items from the reign periods of King Childeric I, Louis Phillippe I, from the National Library, and other places were displayed at the Louvre! The collection kept growing with the fall of the Empire in 1870, which contributed to a massive collection of items from the Tuileries Palace and Saint-Cloud. In the following years, collections like 17th and 18th-century items, Italian and French Renaissance pieces, Middle Age items, and more were donated to the Louvre! The Decorative Arts rooms were renovated to accommodate the expanding collection in 1960.
FAQs on Louvre Decorative Arts
1. What is in the Louvre Decorative Arts Department in the Louvre?
The Louvre’s Decorative Arts Department is a massive collection of furniture items, jewelry, cutlery, and other items from the Royal family’s collection. Some of them are also from rich families and collectors in France.
2. What are the timings to explore this decorative department in the Louvre?
The department is open to explore on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and weekends from 9 am to 6 pm and from 9 am to 8 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. The Musuem is closed on Tuesdays.
3. What are some highlights of the Louvre Musuem of Decorative Arts?
Some of the major highlights of the Department are the bronze statue of Charlemagne, King Louis XV’s crown, and stained glass plates with depictions of the saints Thomas and Paul. The Napoleon Rooms are also a must-see!
4. What is the cost of the ticket to explore the Department?
The standard Louvre Museum with skip-the-line entry access to the Museum costs €25 for visitors between 18 and 99 years of age.
5. Where is the Louvre’s Department of Decorative Arts?
The Department of Decorative Arts is in the Richelieu Wing and some parts of the Sully Wing, which faces the north and northwest Carre Couer.
6. When was the space renovated?
The rooms of the Department were extended and renovated in 1906 to accommodate more artifacts.
7. From which period are the artifacts in the Louvre Decorative Arts Museum?
The artifacts in this Department are from the 17th and 19th centuries. Some are also from the Middle Ages, the era of King Louis XIV, the Regency, and the Neoclassic Period! You can also see a replica of Napoleon’s ancient apartment in this collection.
Featured Image: Louvre.fr
