How to Find the Not so Secret Entrance to the Louvre and Navigate your Visit with a Nintendo DS.
A secret Entrance, the world's oldest written code, mummies, and jewels. No, this is not the plot of this summer's best thriller novel; this is the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
Visiting the Louvre on vacation is a must-do experience for any art enthusiast or history buff. Located in the heart of Paris, France, the Louvre is one of the world's largest and most famous museums, boasting a collection of over 35,000 works of art spanning thousands of years of human history. For our family, the opportunity to explore the museum's expansive galleries and discover its many treasures was an exciting prospect. With its stunning architecture, iconic exhibits, and rich cultural heritage, a visit to the Louvre promises to be an unforgettable experience for all of us.
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The Louvre Museum is open daily nine am to six pm and closed on Tuesdays. On Fridays, the museum is open later til nine forty-five pm. Therefore, giving yourself 3 hours to experience the most iconic, popular pieces would be best. We were scheduled to enter at noon, and we finished up around five pm. The Nintendo DS audio guide costs 5 euros and is well worth the price. You can save so much time navigating from one piece to the next with the help of the mapping system. Once you have located your selection, the audio guide provides fun facts and historical information that would require a lot of research if you tried to study and learn on your own before visiting.
Sorta Secret Entrance to the Louvre
Uncovering a secret entrance fills us with a sense of intrigue and mystery, promising the possibility of hidden treasures, forgotten secrets, and unknown worlds. For example, there is a not-so-secret secret entrance to the Louvre. In anticipation of seeing the giant glass pyramid and noticing the long lines of visitors waiting to enter, you can walk right past or adjacent to an alternative entrance.
Near the Arch de Triomphe, a staircase similar to a metro entrance takes you below ground level to an alternative access to the Louvre. This is a fantastic alternative to waiting if you have not pre-purchased tickets with a "fast pass" entrance time. Once below the surface, you enter near the underground metro stop for the Louvre. (Another great alternative, especially if you are using the metro to arrive.) You will go through a quick security checkpoint, and then you can transverse the underground entry hall and purchase a ticket at the desk.
The long lines up top are full of visitors who pre-purchased tickets. From what we were told, most locals buy their tickets on-site. I paid attention on the day of our visit and did observe that the ticket counter was mainly empty during our stay. Again, we left via the metro entrance, and again, there were so few people that the line moved quickly and continuously.
How to Navigate through the Louvre
Visiting a museum can be a thrilling experience, full of adventure, knowledge, and fun. Navigating through the various galleries, observing the exhibits, and learning about history and culture can be exciting for people of all ages. Unfortunately, the Louvre is so vast that you can easily get turned around and lost trying to find your next favorite piece of art or exhibit. You can lose a half hour to an hour easily if you become lost, which can quickly become disappointing when you lose energy or time in your schedule.
We recommend choosing the exhibits you want to see before you go and then using the museum's audio guides which cost five Euros. Start by selecting a piece of ancient art, two statues, and three paintings. Next, visit the French Crown Jewels and the Egyptian Sphinx and Mummies. Then Before you leave, check out the original underground foundation of the castle where the Louvre was built.
The museum offers Nintendo DS 3Ds as the official audio guides. In addition, the loaded software works as a GPS, map, and tour guide. Our son Brody found pairing the DS with the paper map brochures made for easy travel from place to place within the Louvre. The following are Brody's instructions for navigating through the museum:
Step 1) Find the number for a specific exhibit on the paper map and brochure.
Step 2) Type the exhibit number into the search bar on the Nintendo DS.
Step 3) Begin to follow the guided map's path on the Nintendo that moves along with you through the Louvre to your destination.
When you move into a room, the DS will auto-sense the exhibits. You can stop and listen to the narration for an exhibit or continue along the path to your selected piece of art. The DS also has several tour paths, so you can follow a pre-programmed course and discover exhibits along that route.
Our recommendation for Must See Exhibits at the Louvre
1)Statues
Winged Victory: Winged Victory of Samothrace, also known as Nike of Samothrace, is a Hellenistic sculpture of Nike, the Greek goddess of Victor. The statue depicts Nike standing on the prow of a ship, with her wings outstretched as if in mid-flight, her robes fluttering in the wind. If you look closely, you can see the inspiration for the Nike Corp. logo.
Venus Demilo: The Venus de Milo statue is notable for its missing arms, which have never been found. Despite this, the Venus de Milo is regarded as one of ancient Greek sculpture's most beautiful and iconic works.
Psyche and Cupid: The statue portrays Psyche in despair, with Cupid's wings embracing her from behind. The sculpture is renowned for its intricate detail, expressive poses, and elegant portrayal of the two figures' emotions.
2)Paintings
Coronation of Napoleon: A neoclassical piece of art, The painting captures the moment when Napoleon places the crown on the head of his wife, Empress Josephine, during the elaborate coronation ceremony at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The painter painted his mother observing the coronation because Napoleon's mother did not attend.
Liberty Leading the People: Liberty is depicted as a powerful and heroic figure, leading the charge with the French tricolor flag in her hand. The painting is renowned for its dynamic composition, bold use of color and light, and symbolic representation of the revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
Mona Lisa: The Mona Lisa is one of the world's most famous and iconic paintings, painted by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci in the 16th century. The painting is renowned for its smile and its innovative composition. While the Mona Lisa is undoubtedly a masterpiece of art history, there was a bit of disappointment upon seeing it in person at the Louvre Museum. The painting is relatively small and is surrounded by large crowds of visitors, making it difficult to fully appreciate its beauty and creativity. Additionally, the painting's fame and cultural significance have contributed to high expectations and sometimes unrealistic assumptions about the experience of seeing it up close. Despite this, the Mona Lisa remains a celebrated and cherished work of art, and its enduring legacy continues to inspire and captivate art enthusiasts and scholars worldwide. We noticed that the painting room was relatively quiet at the end of the day. We recommend saving this viewing for the end of your visit.
3) French Crown Jewels
Make sure to add the French Crown Jewels to your must-see list! This dazzling collection of royal treasures includes stunning crowns, tiaras, and other pieces of jewelry worn by French monarchs over the centuries. You'll be amazed by the intricate detail and exquisite craftsmanship of these historic artifacts, which offer a glimpse into the opulence and grandeur of the French royal court. Just be prepared to be dazzled by the glittering gems and precious metals, and maybe even feel a little bit like royalty yourself as you bask in their radiant beauty!
4) Sphynx, Mummies, Sarcophaguses
Are you ready for time travel that takes you deep into the mysterious and mystical world of ancient Egypt? Then you simply must visit the collection of sphinxes, mummies, and sarcophagi at the Louvre Museum! You'll come face-to-face with some of the most iconic symbols of ancient Egypt, including a massive stone sphinx that guarded the entrance of a temple, and intricately decorated sarcophagi that held the remains of pharaohs and their families. And of course, no visit to an Egyptian exhibit would be complete without seeing the mummies - the preserved bodies of the ancient Egyptian elite, wrapped in bandages and adorned with gold jewelry. You'll feel like an archaeologist as you explore the wonders of this ancient civilization, and who knows - you might even discover your own inner pharaoh!
5) The Castle Foundation
Attention all adventure-seekers and history buffs: don't miss the chance to explore the castle foundation beneath the Louvre! This hidden gem offers a rare glimpse into the medieval origins of the world-renowned museum. You'll discover the remains of a 12th-century fortress and the original moat, which once protected the city of Paris from invaders. The castle foundation is like a time capsule, transporting you back in time to a bygone era of knights and battles.
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Do you have a favorite exhibit? What else should we include in our list of must-see attractions? Please email us and let us know. We love to hear from fellow travelers. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for our travel photos and new blog posts. We hope to have content on youtube very soon, so keep checking our social media pages for that announcement.
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