| The Louvre is the most famous art museum in | | | | those from the Louvre as well. |
| the world. It also has the most number of visitors | | | | The Louvre Pyramid is the main entrance of the |
| per year. It is home to many great works of art | | | | museum. The French president Francois Mitterrand |
| that are historically significant in Western culture. It | | | | hired the Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei to |
| was originally built as a royal palace for King Philipp | | | | construct the glass pyramid. This was one of the |
| II. The architecture is similar to the French | | | | first renovations from the Grand Louvre Project. |
| Renaissance style of the famous architect Pierre | | | | The Louvre houses some of the finest art |
| Lescot. Its use as a place to showcase art | | | | collections in the world. There are eight |
| started at around the time of French Revolution. | | | | departments, which are as follows: Paintings, Prints |
| The idea began from the Luxembourg Palace in | | | | and Drawings, Decorative Arts, Sculptures, Islamic |
| Paris which was then followed by the Louvre. | | | | Art, Egyptian Antiquities, Greek and Roman |
| The Louvre originally collected the works or | | | | Antiquities and Near Eastern Antiquities. |
| Leonardo da Vinci and Andrea del Sarto. | | | | The museum has a collection of almost 12,000 |
| Extensions of the site were commissioned as the | | | | paintings. The Mona Lisa is one of the more |
| continued expansion of the Louvre necessitated it. | | | | prominent pieces found in the museum. It is a |
| As France grew in power and stature in the 17th | | | | 16th century portrait painted by Leonardo da |
| century, it was able to acquire increasing holdings. | | | | Vinci. It is considered as one of the most famous |
| Major works from Dutch artists were acquired | | | | paintings in the world. The picture is of an |
| for display in the museum. Today, the collection is | | | | expressionless woman, which has been the |
| added by gifts from citizens. | | | | subject of countless debates and arguments. The |
| One of the primary goals of the Louvre is to | | | | painting has undergone a number of conservation |
| preserve and protect French art treasures. This | | | | treatments leading to its' relatively excellent state. |
| includes collections from the early part of its | | | | Other exhibits include sculptures, such as the |
| history up to recent acquisitions to this day. They | | | | Venus de Milo. Also known as the Aphrodite of |
| seek to give access to as large amount of people | | | | Milos, it is an ancient Greek statue depicting |
| as possible to the beauty of all these works. The | | | | Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. It is |
| museum loans different works of art to different | | | | made of marble with the absence or arms from |
| institutions all over the world too. | | | | the sculpture being quite notable. |
| It has partnerships with other major art | | | | Aside from the aforementioned exhibits, others |
| institutions. It was recently announced that a | | | | include engravings, drawings, books and |
| Louvre museum will be constructed in Abu Dhabi | | | | archeology. To keep up with the times, the |
| and should be completed in 2012. It will house | | | | Louvre continually expands and develops new |
| work from different French museums, including | | | | areas in the museum. |