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Visiting the Louvre With Kids: A Short Family Route

The best Louvre visit with children is a short sequence of memorable objects, not a complete wing. This family route uses six works with clear stories, large shapes and recognizable characters. At a normal pace it takes about 100 minutes in the galleries, leaving space within a 2–2½ hour visit for toilets, elevators and a snack break.

Why these works suit a family route

The route alternates paintings and sculptures so children are not asked to look at the same kind of gallery for too long. The Mona Lisa and Wedding at Cana share one room, while the Egyptian stops provide an immediate change of scale and subject. Four works are treated as the core; two can be removed if attention or energy drops.

Give each stop a small question: Where is the wind moving the Victory’s clothes? What is happening at the wedding feast? Why might the Venus be missing her arms? Looking for one detail is usually more successful than reading every label.

The 6 works to see with kids

  1. © 2014 Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Philippe Fuzeau

    Denon, Daru staircase

    Winged Victory of Samothrace

    Hellenistic art

    Must see

    A dramatic first stop: a winged goddess appears to land on the prow of a stone ship.

  2. © 2018 GrandPalaisRmn (musée du Louvre) / Michel Urtado

    Denon, Room 711

    Mona Lisa

    Leonardo da Vinci

    Must see

    Keep the stop brief. Ask children whether the expression changes when they look at the eyes, mouth and hands.

  3. © 2019 GrandPalaisRmn (musée du Louvre) / Michel Urtado

    Denon, Room 711

    The Wedding at Cana

    Paolo Veronese

    Flexible stop

    Turn around from the Mona Lisa and search the enormous banquet for musicians, animals and small conversations.

  4. © 2010 Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Christian Décamps

    Sully, Level −1, Room 338

    Great Sphinx of Tanis

    Ancient Egypt

    Must see

    A huge lion’s body and human face make ancient Egyptian ideas of royal power easy to discuss.

  5. © 2011 Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Thierry Ollivier

    Sully, Level 0, Room 345

    Venus de Milo

    Ancient Greece

    Must see

    Walk around the statue and invite children to imagine what the missing arms might have held.

  6. © 2015 Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Christian Décamps

    Sully, Level 1, Room 635

    The Seated Scribe

    Ancient Egypt

    Flexible stop

    End with a human-scale Egyptian figure whose bright inlaid eyes still seem alert after thousands of years.

Practical Louvre tips for families

  • Choose an early or late-afternoon entry and allow extra time before the slot for security, lockers and toilets.
  • Ask staff for the nearest elevator rather than trying to copy every staircase in a standard route.
  • Food and drink are not allowed in galleries, so plan the snack under the Pyramid, in a café or outside in the Tuileries.
  • If the Mona Lisa room is overwhelming, remove that stop in the route builder and continue. A calm visit is more valuable than completing every icon.

Admission is generally free for visitors under 18, but admission conditions and reservation requirements can change. Check the Louvre’s official rules for your visit date.

Open the ready-made family route

The saved route includes all six works and uses a conservative 150-minute budget. Remove a stop, change the pace and save a version for your family.

View and customize the family route

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