A palace turned machine for looking—history weaponized into rooms, corridors, and thresholds that never stop seducing you.
Art and archeology museum in Paris, France.
Featured in I. M. Pei's definitive monograph, I.M. Pei: Complete Works.
Visitor Guide
Pick one wing and one era; the Louvre punishes ambition. Reserve a timed entry and arrive early to beat the security accordion.
Cour Napoléon facing the Pyramid, sunrise for near-empty courtyard and soft reflections.
Ticketed museum with timed entry options; open most days with a weekly closure (typically Tuesday). Ticketing and hours are published by the museum; book ahead.
Pei’s intervention isn’t just the Pyramid—it’s the subterranean circulation reprogramming, a logistical diagram disguised as elegance.
3–5 hours (or your whole life, realistically)
Design & Structure
Urban-scale wayfinding + structural glass engineering: the ‘design’ is a circulation algorithm connecting wings via a central underground concourse.
Stone palace fabric contrasted with glass/metal precision—old mass vs new clarity.
The modern insertions rely on carefully engineered glass structures and long-span subterranean spaces that behave like infrastructure.
See Together
Buildings that pair well with Louvre — they're nearby or share a compelling architectural conversation.
More by I. M. Pei
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State University of New York at Fredonia
University of Rochester
Cornell University
Syracuse University
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Choate Rosemary Hall
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Louvre?+
Louvre was designed by I. M. Pei and completed in 1793. It is located in Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, France.
Where is Louvre located?+
Louvre is located in Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, France. Its coordinates are 48.8611°, 2.3358°.
When was Louvre built?+
Louvre was completed in 1793. It was designed by I. M. Pei.
Can I visit Louvre?+
Louvre is a real building in Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.