The Louvre pyramid at night, seen from inside, toward a serene and nearly empty museum. Photo © Art Journey Paris.
Experience the Louvre at its quietest and most intimate, with a private Louvre evening visit
In winter, night falls as we start a private evening tour. In winter, we start the visit by the sunset, while in summer, end it with the sunset! Photo © Art Journey Paris.
Is it possible to enjoy a truly memorable experience, in the largest and most visited museum in the world while getting away from the crowds?
Yes, with an expert-designed private tour of the Louvre, in daytime. Or, even better, in the evening, during the late opening hours of the Louvre, on Wednesday and Friday evenings, until 9 pm.
The Louvre at night, or how to get around the crowds in the most visited museum in the world
The moon over the Louvre courtyard evokes a sense of serenity during a private evening visit. Photo © Art Journey Paris.
If you have never been to the Louvre, the reality about navigating crowds is that the museum is so vast that if one tried to see every artwork displayed in one minute, for eight hours a day, it would take three months.
Imagine attempting to do that in two hours, as most tours of the Louvre do. The result is that you will be rushed from one highlight to the next. It also ensures that you will only see a crowded, noisy museum.
The difficulty, for a first-time visitor, is to grasp the inconceivable size of the Louvre Museum, one of the largest buildings in the world. The museum is spread over three wings and three floors, for a total of 9 miles of galleries. In two hours, one can only discover the famous masterpieces, including the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
As they are the highlights that all visitors want to see, regardless of the day or time, these rooms are always crowded. That is why the first secret is to set aside four hours to explore the less-visited wings of the museum, where the hidden treasures of the Louvre are located.
The other is to start visiting when the crowds begin to leave the museum, twice a week, as the Louvre opens late, until 9 pm.
An expert-designed private evening tour of the Louvre
An empty room of the Louvre, with Vermeer, Rembrandt and Rubens masterpieces. Photo © Art Journey Paris.
Ask Louvre School Graduates, people who had to study every single room along miles of corridors, when they go to the Louvre for pleasure or bring a friend. The answer will always be at night.
The reason is that the Louvre is the most visited museum in the world, attracting 10 million visitors annually. It means, on average, 30,000 persons a day. Most tour operators and group tour companies schedule the same visit, viewing identical set lists of masterpieces, all within one of the museum's three wings.
But an experienced Louvre visitor will venture into those two wings that are not on tour operators' itineraries and visit at night, when the Louvre is at its quietest and most intimate. That is where expertise makes a world of difference.
This evening private tour is conceived by a Louvre School Graduate, who knows intimately all the nooks and crannies of the 9 miles of corridors of the museum. He has crafted private tours for numerous individuals from diverse backgrounds for over fifteen years.
He now also offers travel planning to ensure your entire stay, not only one evening, is worthy of a lifetime memory.
An evening stroll, as if into a time machine, wondering at millennia of art and history
Visiting the Louvre at night is a great way to get around the crowd. The Louvre courtyard in winter and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Photo © Art Journey Paris.
Who has not dreamt of time travel? One can imagine the past reading a book or watching a documentary. Or, come face-to-face with historical figures by entering an actual time machine—the Louvre Museum.
With artworks dating back as far as 9,000 years, it is no exaggeration to say that we can travel back in time along the 9 miles of galleries. From the first civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt five millennia ago to the Italian Renaissance and Delacroix in the 1800s, strolling through the Louvre at night is indeed strolling through time and space.
Thanks to the quieter and more intimate atmosphere, an evening at the Louvre becomes a magical and memorable experience. The program depends on the Louvre's opening schedule, which is why it is essential to discuss ahead of time what you would like to see.
A genuinely customizable private evening visit, anything in the Louvre on demand
Discover the hidden treasures of the Louvre with an expert-designed private evening guided tour. Photo © Art Journey Paris.
There is no obligatory set list of masterpieces to follow: this is a genuine private tour, tailored to your taste and rhythm. Every visit is unique and is not a recitation but a conversation.
If this is your first stay in Paris and you have no particular requirements, the plan is to discover highlights such as the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Then, to venture into another wing of the Louvre, away from the crowds, after having discussed options.
If you have already been to the Louvre, we can plan to see any of the 35,000 artworks on display. Focus on one particular wing or subject. Considering not only the size of the museum but also the fact that many rooms close depending on the day of the week, it is essential to inquire about what you would like to see in advance.
The personalized treatment begins with the first email, providing a personal and timely answer to your message, not an automated reply. Do not hesitate to ask about what you would like to see, as well as your plans for your stay.
An Evening Private Tour of the Louvre Museum
A 4-hour private evening Louvre Museum visit, led by an officially licensed art historian guide.
1 to 2 people - 550 €
3 people - 675 €
4 people - 850 €
5 people - 975 €
Family (two adults, up to 3 children) - 550 €
The fee includes personalized Louvre entrance tickets with a time slot reservation guaranteeing access to the museum.
Contact
To book a private guided tour of the Louvre museum at night, please mention the date of the visit as well as the number of participants, using the form below, thank you.
Examples of masterpieces and stories to discover during an evening private guided visit of the Louvre Museum:
The story of the Winged Victory of Samothrace
The Winged Victory: who carved it, how Nike of Samothrace was discovered, why it is iconic, and how it survived attempts to destroy the statue in 1944.
Discover the story of Winged Victory.
Two meters from global fame: Raphael's portrait of Baldassare Castiglione
How Raphael's masterpiece nearly became the most famous artwork in the world, and its unexpected links with Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt
Discover the story Raphael's portrait of Baldassare Castiglione.
Jacques Jaujard, the quiet hero who organized the largest art rescue operation ever.
When real-life heroes are more fascinating than in the movies, the true story of saving the Louvre during the Second World War.
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Discover what happened in the Louvre during the Second World War.
Eye to eye with people alive thousands of years ago.
Travel millennia back in time in the Louvre museum walking through miles of gallery corridors.
Discover how museums are time machines.
The evening tour of the Louvre was a highlight of our first trip to Paris. Our guide was friendly, open to our requests, and incredibly knowledgeable about the art and the art history of the works we viewed. It was fun and enlightening talking with him. We learned so much in just 4 hours!
I just wanted to thank you again for a wonderful, very informative tour through The Louvre - and at night! It was just incredible to feel as if we had that beautiful, enormous place all to ourselves - thank you for the evening tour recommendation!!
I want you to know that your private night tour of the Louvre was an absolute highlight, way beyond our expectations and my wife and daughters are constantly talking about that night. As novices to the world of art, you managed to bring the history and significance of the artists showcased in the Louvre to life in the most interesting and informative way.
Your guided tour was a special experience for everyone in our family, from the first-timers in our group to those who had seen the Louvre several times before. You were able to make sure that each person found it to be an intimate and memorable experience. You even kept it interesting for the kids.
Thank you also for the outstanding tour of the Louvre, and for your style of engaging us in the discussions and descriptions. I felt like I had enjoyed a semester of Art History. Your incredible knowledge of the Louvre and its treasures, combined with your ability to navigate through the exhibits efficiently, made our 4-hour tour perfect.
Thank you again for the incredible evening tour of the Louvre last week. All 4 of us enjoyed it immensely. You helped us to see the expected wonders in new ways, and debunked the common misconceptions! That was entertaining.
What an amazing tour we had on the Night Tour of the Louvre. We enjoyed every minute, Your knowledge of the art history and of the museum is fantastic.
Thank you for the "Night Louvre Tour". I found your selection of things to see in 4 hours and your commentary, observations and philosophy to be entertaining, interesting, and of very high quality
Practical Information About An Evening Private Tour Of The Louvre Museum
The pyramid seen from the Musée du Louvre during a private evening visit. Photo © Art Journey Paris.
Late opening at the Louvre - The Louvre Museum opens until 9 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Skip the line - The Louvre uses a timed entry system, a "Ticket and time slot booking granting access to the permanent collections and exhibitions" every half-hour. The Louvre explains that "Only tickets purchased online guarantee access to the museum".
As long as one arrives at the time advised by the official guide, the wait is a matter of minutes, the time needed for the security check to get through the x-ray machine for bags.
Avoiding crowds in the Louvre - It is unrealistic to expect to have the world's most visited museum all to oneself.
Yet, while most visitors converge toward the same famous masterpieces, all located in the same wing, the other two wings of the Louvre remain nearly empty, particularly during the out of hours evening openings, which takes place twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays, until 9 pm.
After all, there are 9 miles of corridors across three separate wings, spread over 400 rooms and three floors. Having long realized that most foreign visitors only get to visit the Louvre once in their lives, we want to make sure they can experience the quieter corners of the Louvre. To walk off the beaten path and enjoy the least visited areas of the museum and the hidden treasures of the Louvre.
VIP experience - What is VIP, the silk curtains, or the view out of the window? The chauffeur-driven ride to the Louvre, or what goes on once inside the museum?
Is it not better to enjoy a tailor-made experience where you can choose anything among the 35,000 artworks of the Louvre? Art Journey Paris is a private tour specialist that offers bespoke visits only.
Masterpieces of the Louvre - There are 35,000 artworks displayed in the Louvre, so there is a lot more to choose from than the Venus of Milo, Victory of Samothrace, and Mona Lisa! To make sense of the scale of the Louvre museum, another way to express its immensity is that trying to see every artwork on display, one minute at a time would take nearly 3 months... Art Journey Paris prides itself on being able to show you any artwork in the museum, as long as it is requested in advance. And if you do not know what to choose, no worries, we will tailor a discovery of the treasures of the Louvre for you, from famous masterpieces to unexpected hidden wonders.
Wheelchair access - People with disabilities are welcome. The Louvre does loan wheelchairs in exchange for a passport. Please let us know in advance if you need a wheelchair. - Visitors with physical disabilities.
Schedule of the Louvre Museum Room Closures - To ensure the artwork you wish to see is visible, please consult the Schedule of room closure of the Louvre.
Taking photos in the Louvre museum - Photography, without a flash or tripod, is allowed. But keep in mind that photos of all artworks of the museum are available from the fantastic Louvre Museum Collection database.