For visitors to the Musee du Louvre in Paris, there’s usually one shared goal — to find the best rooms possible. Plus, of course, catch a glimpse of the Mona Lisa. This French art gallery is perhaps the most famous in the world. On average, it sees around 8 million visitors a year. And with 403 rooms and 5 floors, it’s no wonder the Louvre Museum impresses the masses.
In this guide, we’ll introduce you to the rooms you cannot miss when visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris. We’ll cover everything from the Napoleon III Apartments to the famous Mona Lisa room in the Louvre. As far as Paris art museums go, these best rooms in the Louvre Museum will blow your mind.
1. Les Salles Rouges
Les Salles Rouges are the Louvre’s stunning Red Rooms. These rooms show beautiful 19th-century French paintings. Les Salles Rouges have some of the largest paintings in the Louvre — including a depiction of Napoleon I’s coronation. Napoleon himself exclaimed you could almost “walk through this painting” upon its reveal.
Napoleon I’s statement sets the tone for Les Salles Rouge very much. The Red Rooms are a beautiful collection of massive historical paintings. You’ll see Jacques-Louis David’s Madame Recamier and Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres’ Mademoiselle Riviere. The rooms are light and airy, with glass ceilings for abundant natural lighting.
Keep an eye out for Theodore Gericault’s The Raft of the Medusa. This bleak painting portrays the demise of the captain of the Medusa. The captain was underqualified for the post and brought tragedy to his crew because of this.
Location: Level 1
2. Salle des États
It wouldn’t be a guide to the best rooms in the Louvre without a nod towards the Mona Lisa room in the Louvre. The Mona Lisa portrait is one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most revered works. The half smile of the Mona Lisa is a symbol of the Italian Renaissance movement. You can get up close — so long as you visit outside of peak times — in the Salle des États. It’s the largest exhibition room in the Louvre.
This room is a must for any art enthusiast. The dark-painted walls and thick crowds create an electric atmosphere. Everyone is scrambling for a great view. For a passionate embrace of the artwork in the Louvre Museum, the Salle des États is where to head.
It isn’t just the Mona Lisa to see, either. Veronese’s Wedding Feast at Cana and Portrait of a Venetian Woman also exist. The room also hosts some of Titian’s most famed works, including the Pastoral Concert and Man with a Glove. The Salle des États is a beautiful ode to European paintings.
Location: Level 1 in Room 711
3. Napoleon III Apartments
Did you know that the Louvre was a palace before it was a French art gallery? The royal residence was handed down through generations of kings. Each king left their mark on the building, tweaking its architecture over centuries.
To embrace its royal past, the Napoleon III Apartments are some of the best rooms in the Louvre Museum. These apartments are full of red velvet and gold-gilded grandeur. Visiting is as if you are stepping back into the 19th century. The attention to detail is stunning. There’s everything from elaborately painted ceilings to groaning chandeliers with thousands of crystals. The Napoleon III Apartments have the aesthetic wow factor. Plus they provide great historical insight into the Louvre’s royal past. Think of it as an immersive historical experience.
In particular, you should visit the musicians’ platform in Room 544. This drawing room was regularly transformed into a private theater for Napoleon III and up to 250 guests. You can admire the designated platform for musicians that still stands today.
Location: Level 1
4. Cour Puget and Marly
The French sculptures are some of the most elegant exhibits in the Louvre. The collection is spread throughout the Puget and Marly courtyards. The covered glass roofs effectively create an indoor garden aesthetic. Walking through the Puget and Marly rooms is relaxing in its own right.
Out of all the rooms in the Louvre, the French sculpture collection has some of the prettiest. The natural light and neutral color palette is a serene, calming mix. It’s only fitting that sculptures intended for outdoor living should bask in natural light. These sculptures were favorites of the Parisian royals of centuries gone by. Many started their lives in private gardens and parks. Now, they’ve retired to spend the rest of eternity in the Louvre, protected from the elements.
Don’t miss the Marly Horses, perched high on a beige-colored wall in the Cour Marly. These horses once stood in King Louis XIV’s Marly Park, now residing in this same-named museum room.
Location: Level 0
5. Greek Antiquities
The allure of Greek antiquities speaks for itself. The Louvre has one of the greatest Grecian antiquity collections in Paris. The gallery stretches over many rooms, housing feminine sculptures to historical busks. In short, the Greek antiquities collection has snowballed. It began in 1692 when Louis XIV first put a handful of sculptures on display. Now, they make up some of the best rooms in the Louvre Museum and largest collections.
You must see the Venus de Milo statue if you don’t see anything else. This depicts the goddess Aphrodite, also shown in statues like Venus of Arles and the Venus of Vienne. These statues are magnificent and well worth penciling in a specific visit to see.
Location: Level 0
6. Cour Visconti
Cour Visconti is where you’ll find the Islamic Art displays in the Louvre. As one of the most famed Paris art museums, it’s no shocker that the Louvre has an extensive Islamic art collection. These rooms have housed the French art gallery’s collection since 2012. And they predominantly showcase artwork from North Africa and the Middle East.
Cour Visconti was purpose-built to house the collection. The space is stunning, and has beige, dark, and golden undertones. The room sits under a canopy-style beige roof with tiny hanging metal lights.
Over 3,000 exhibits live in the Cour Visconti. You’ll find artifacts from the 7th to the late 19th century. The artifacts include everything from silks to vases and miniature paintings. Cour Visconti is a beautiful place to spend 15 minutes to half an hour browsing exhibits. It’s split across two levels. We’d definitely recommend a visit to the lower level, which has dim lighting and some unmissable Iznik pottery.
Location: Level -1 and Level -2
7. The Galerie d’Apollon
The Galerie d’Apollon Louvre plan is one of Paris’s most scenic architectural displays. Visitors walk under a vaulted gold-gilded ceiling thick with paintings and grandeur. It’s one of the best rooms in the Louvre – a weighty compliment well-deserved.
Aside from its good looks, the Galerie d’Apollon has over 200 years of art history hung across its walls. These include a collection of 41 paintings, 28 tapestries, and 118 sculptures. For an aesthetic Louvre experience, the Galerie d’Apollon is non-negotiable. Its incredible collection helps too.
Location: Level 1
