Your Complete Guide to Visiting the Louvre Museum at Night

As the last visitors exit and the lights are dimmed, the Louvre transforms from a bustling tourist destination into an ethereal world of shadows and stillness. At night, the corridors and halls of this iconic Paris museum take on a magical, almost haunting beauty. As one of the world’s largest, most visited museums and home to legendary works, the Louvre by day seems to pulsate with the energy of countless visitors. But after hours, the museum belongs solely to the spirits of the art within its walls. 

Visiting the Louvre Museum at night offers a new and intimate perspective on the priceless art spanning thousands of years of human creativity and ingenuity. Devoid of the distraction and commotion of heavy foot traffic, you can enjoy a museum tour and legendary masterpieces at night.

Why Visit the Louvre at Night?

A night tour of the Louvre Museum is one of the best ways to experience the artistic excellence of the museum. There are several reasons why visiting the Louvre Museum at night is a must; here are some of them:

• Fewer crowds: The Louvre Museum has fewer visitors at night than during the day, making it more convenient for guests to explore. Fewer crowds at night allow visitors to experience the museum more fully, an enriching experience that is nearly impossible during the day.
• A closer look at the Mona Lisa: The Mona Lisa is the most famous artwork in the Musee du Louvre. A night tour of the Louvre Museum allows visitors to examine the Mona Lisa and other collections in greater detail. Sometimes, with countless visitors around, guests cannot even glimpse the Mona Lisa, making spending the night at the Louvre Museum a great idea.
• Nighttime beauty: The Louvre Museum at night looks magnificent due to the lighting accentuating its features.
• Photography: Lesser crowds and the well-lit ambience of the Lourve Museum allow visitors to click aesthetic pictures at night. Clicking pictures at the Louvre with no other guest photobombing is impossible during the day. Therefore, the Louvre Museum night tour is perfect for Instagrammers, bloggers, and photographers.

Louvre Museum at Night Ticket

The Louvre Museum at night is a must-do activity for all art lovers, but please note that you can explore it at night only on a private tour. The three-hour private tour is available only on Thursdays at 6.30 pm (half an hour after the museum closes to the general public), and a maximum of six members participate. An art expert will lead this activity, and your guide can teach you about the works of Italian artists such as Raphael, da Vinci, and Caravaggio. 

The Louvre Museum Private tour includes:

• Skip the line tickets and a VIP private tour of the Louvre Museum at night.
• Enter four hours before closing time.
• A licensed and experienced guide.

Tour price

The Louvre Musuem tour prices start from €275 for two adults and vary according to the group size.

Group Size	Group Price
Group of 2	€275 ($300)
Group of 3	€615 ($670)
Group of 4	€820 ($895)
Group of 5	€725 ($790)
Group of 6	€870 ($950)

What Makes the Louvre Museum at Night Different from the Day

Once the general public departs, the Louvre Museum becomes almost mystical. The lack of crowds makes seeing some of the most famous and popular works far easier. Without the noise and rush of thousands of daily visitors, one can truly appreciate the former French royal palace’s enormous scale and opulence. The serene ambiance, faint footsteps, and the emptiness of the Louvre Museum at night make you feel like the magnificent artworks have temporarily become your own. One can spend hours with a single painting, noticing delicate nuances that are impossible to see during crowded daytime hours.

Some areas, like the giant glass pyramid bathed in moonlight, shine with a new allure and mystery, and shapes and textures are harder to discern through the darkness. The halls feel vast when wandering alone, giving you a sense of their grandeur. Imagine the kings who once roamed them and how artists like Vermeer or Goya might explore them today. Navigating between galleries past and present elicits an entirely different energy and experience without tourists clogging passages or jostling around renowned works. The Louvre Museum at night reveals its full architectural glory after dark, a showcase for obscure and famous masterpieces that should be noticed.

Louvre Museum at Night Itinerary 

Plan your Louvre Museum night tour with this itinerary to make the best of your Louvre Museum night. Start your Louvre Museum night tour at the Greek Art Gallery, where you can examine the masterpieces, including Winged Victory and Venus de Milo. Now, head to the Italian Gallery to see the art pieces by Veronese and the famous da Vinci.

You may also want to check out 19th-century French paintings like Delacroix’s Liberty Leading to the People. Now, you can move to the famous Italian sculptures of Canova and Michelangelo to make the most of your Louvre night at the Museum.

Practical Things to Know Before Visiting the Louvre Museum at Night: 

Planning your Louvre Museum’s night tour can be confusing, especially if you are a first-timer. Here are some valuable information to help you plan your visit to the Louvre Museum at night.

Timings

The Louvre Museum’s opening hours are from 8 am to 6 pm on all days except Tuesdays. On Fridays, the Louvre Museum offers extended hours and closes at 9.45 pm, while a few galleries start to close around 9.30 pm.

How to reach the Louvre Museum 

You can reach the Louvre Museum from different locations and modes of transportation. Here is how to reach it at night.

• By Metro: Palais-Royal / Musee du Louvre is the closest metro connected by lines 1 and 7 

• By Bus: Bus No. 21, 27, 39, 67, 68, 69, 72, 74, 85, and 95 will take you to the Louvre Museum.
• By Car:  The Museum lies in the 1st arrondissement. Get Direction.

There is an underground car park at 1 Avenue du General Lemonier. The Louvre museum is accessible via the Galerie du Carrousel entrance. 

• By Bicycle: You can rent bikes around the city to visit the Musee du Louvre. 
• By Taxi: Taxis can drop you off at the Carrousel roundabout, and the taxi pickup is at Andre Malraux Place.

Louvre Museum Entrances

The Louvre Museum has several entrances. Here are the entrance options for your Louvre Museum night tour.

• Pyramid Entrance: The Pyramid is the Louvre Museum’s main entrance for individual visitors.
• Carousel Entrance: The Carrousel Entrance remains open for all visitors and is at 99 rue de Rivoli, 75001, Paris.
• Porte Des Lions: the Porte Des Lions remains closed on Fridays, and visitors with large bags will be refused entry.

Tips for Visiting the Louvre Museum at Night

Here are some visitor tips to ensure a hassle-free Louvre Museum night tour:

• Check the Museum’s Night Opening Hours: The Louvre Museum night tour hours may vary, so check the Museum hours before visiting.
• Purchase tickets in advance: Purchase the Louvre Museum night tour tickets to save time.
• Photography Rules and Etiquettes: The Louvre Museum may levy photography rules, which may vary for different galleries. Respect the photography rules to capture the best photos during your night trip to the Louvre Museum.

FAQs About visiting the Louvre Museum at Nigth