Tours at the Louvre: The Big Picture

Our "Big Picture" tours survey the grand sweep of the Louvre's collection. These tours are ideal for first-time visitors, families, or old hands who want to reintroduce themselves to the breadth of the museum's offerings. The following themes are available:

• Introduction to the Treasures of the Louvre
• Cracking "The Da Vinci Code" at the Louvre
• Paris Muse Clues: A Family Tour for Young Treasure Hunters

(Have you already visited the Louvre, or would you prefer a deep exploration of a specific theme in the museum's collection? Find out about our Closer Look tours of the Louvre.)

An Introduction to the Treasures of the Louvre [ Book this tour ]

2.5-hour tour. 4 person maximum.
This comprehensive tour is an ideal introduction to the diversity and richness of the Louvre. It is designed with the first-time visitor in mind. We follow a roughly chronological circuit, exploring highlights of the Louvre's Ancient Near East, Greek and Roman, and Renaissance Italian collections. The tour also incorporates the fascinating architectural history of the Louvre's pre-museum life as a royal palace. We will see the most celebrated of all the Louvre's treasures—the Khorsabad Palace, the Venus de Milo, Nike of Samothrace, Leonardo's Mona Lisa, Michelangelo's Slaves—but we will also take the time to understand their significance to the history of art.
Please be aware that there may be an unavoidable wait for the Mona Lisa.

Rates. €113 for individuals, or €98 per person for parties of two or more. Includes price of admission. €20 surcharge to guarantee that your party has a one-on-one tour with the instructor, without other parties. 4 person maximum. [ Book this tour ]

Cracking "The Da Vinci Code" at the Louvre
[ Book this tour ]

2.5-hour tour. 4 person maximum.
A tour exploring the art and ideas behind Dan Brown's best-selling thriller The Da Vinci Code. You and your own private "symbologist" revisit Robert Langdon's Parisian adventures in and around the Musée du Louvre. This tour begins and ends where his fictional caper does. Of course, the Louvre is so much more than simply the setting where that breathless action unfolded. Its works of art can answer many of the questions provocatively posed in the book. Do Leonardo's paintings reveal hidden symbolism? Is the true nature of Mary Magdalene's relationship with Christ expressed in paintings depicting her? Is it really the case that Christian art recycles symbols from earlier so-called "pagan" cultures? We'll visit galleries on and off the beaten track— from Greek terra cottas to Renaissance masterpieces in the Grande Galerie—in an effort to answer these questions and more. Join us in your own half-day hunt for the truth.

Note: This tour is designed for the first-time visitor as well as those already familiar with the Louvre's collection. If you are more interested in a highlights tour of the Louvre's most well-known works, however, we recommend reserving our "Introduction to the Treasures" tour.

Read more about this unique experience, featured in the Los Angeles Times, CNN.com, NPR's Weekend Edition, Time Magazine, Newsweek, the New York Times, New York Post, the Detroit Free Press, and elsewhere.

Read more about this tour.

Rates. €113 for individuals, or €98 per person for parties of two or more. Includes price of admission. €20 surcharge to guarantee that your party has a one-on-one tour with the instructor, without other parties. 4 person maximum. [ Book this tour ]

Paris Muse Clues: A Family Tour for Young Treasure Hunters [ Book this tour ]

2-hour tour. 5 person maximum.
290 euros flat rate, includes a 15 euro educational gift (please select "party of 1" when reserving online)
Designed for families with children, ages 6-12

This tour is designed for families who would like to visit the Louvre in a fun and meaningful way. Parents and children learn from the same works of art, but the younger set gets additional motivation through "Paris Muse Clues," our educational and interactive treasure hunt (parents are free to pitch in of course!) This hunt takes the family and their personal guide through a broad range of collections (Ancient Near East, Greek, Medieval, and Renaissance Italian) asking specific and detailed questions about many of the Louvre's masterpieces. It is designed to give children an entertaining background to the history of art while sharpening their skills of observation. Their own answers to the clues lead them to discover an educational prize hidden somewhere under Pei's glass pyramid.

Rates. €290 for a family of 5 or fewer. Designed for ages 6-12. The price includes admission for adults (kids are free) and the "Paris Muse Clues" treasure, an educational gift with a €15 value.

When reserving, select "party of 1" in the first step of our online reservation system. Also, please let us know the names and ages of your children, and how many adults in your party.

[ Book this tour ]

Read about our reading recommendations at Book Nook: Louvre for Kids

Do have questions about Paris Muse tours? Please visit our FAQ page.

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