Musée du Louvre Museum

Founded in 1793 smack in the center of Paris, Musée du Louvre is a must-see for all tourists, whether or not they happen to care for art (or happen to be familiar with Dan Brown). One of the oldest European museums as well as the world's number one most visited art museum, the Louvre boasts art collections that date back to the first half of the 19th century and span the globe.

The museum is divided into three wings (Richelieu, Sully, and Denon), four floors (including the ground level and basement), and ten departments: Near Eastern Antiquities; Egyptian Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities; History of the Louvre and Medieval Louvre; Sculptures; Decorative Arts; Paintings; Prints and Drawings; Islamic Arts; and Arts of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. Those hoping to eyeball every piece should schedule several weeks here.

Led by helpfully placed signs throughout the museum, most visitors head directly to the three most famous pieces: Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, and Venus de Milo – which are constantly surrounded by throngs of frenzied tourists armed with cameras. On the other hand, with a whopping 650,000+ feet of space, the museum has plenty of rooms where one can enjoy phenomenal artwork in complete silence and solitude.

Adjacent to the Tuileries Gardens, the museum is housed in the Louvre Palace, built in the late 1100s. France's royal residence was later moved to Versailles at the end of the 17th century.

Today, the palace also houses École du Louvre, an excellent school of higher learning with a museological focus. I. M. Pei's iconic glass pyramids, another controversial project initiated by former President François Mitterand and today overwhelmingly adored, are located in the complex's courtyard. The main entrance to the museum is through the Carrousel du Louvre, a venue for tradeshows and fairs and an underground mall complex complete with Starbucks and an Apple store.

Musée du Louvre offers an intriguing mix of ancient and contemporary: remnants of the original fortress can be seen in the museum's basement; contemporary intellectuals like J. M. G. Le Clézio regularly give public lectures in the auditiorium; and contemporary artists are invited to display their work alongside the permanent collections. In addition, temporary exhibits in the past include William Hogarth, Rembrandt's sketches, Walker Evans, and Wim Delvoye.