Louvre

The Louvre is one of the most important museums. Here you find a short list of the best things to see in the Louvre if you only have a day on your hands. If you have more than a day, you can see all of the museum.

Not only the contents of the museum are worthwhile, the buildings are quite impressive themselves. They are a fine mixture of classical architecture with a few modern elements.

The Department of Oriental Antiquities preserves works which originate from a huge area stretching from the Indus to the Mediterranean, which was home to a great number of civilisations and cultures, from the Neolithic period up to around 9500, the oldest of which date back to 6000 years before Christ. Highlights include artifacts from Darius I's palace at Susa, and Assyrian sculptures.

Egyptian Antiquities

Since Napoleons raid into Egypt France has had quite a good collection of artifacts form Ancient Egypt. The Louvre collection was started by Champollion who was the first person in the modern west to understand hieroglyphs.
Don't miss: The Seated Scribe

Greek, Roman and Etruscan

A good collection of Classical works. Highlights include the collection of Cretian and Mycenian art and the Etruscan section. Two of the most famous pieces are the Venus de Milo and the Nike of Samothrace.  Try not to miss anything!
Look for: the kouros, scupture from the Parthenon, The Winged Victory of Samothrace, Venus de Milo

Paintings

Six thousand paintings, from the 13th to the 19th century, make the paintings section alone an absolute must for the visitor. You will be astonished by the richness of the early renaissance painters such as Leonardo (Mona Lisa!) and Pisanello, the great French painters as well as e.g. Dutch masters such as Vermeer (The Lacemaker), Rembrandt (The supper at Emmaus).

Museum of decorative arts.

Museum presenting an exceptional collection of Italian primitives, tapestries from the Middle Ages and eighteenth century (220,000 items, objects, drawings, furniture, plate, jewels, ceramics, glassware, upholstery, old and contemporary posters, toys...). Six chronological departments are organised into period rooms marking out the stages in everyday life from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century.

Other collections

Other collections include prints and drawings (one of the biggest and oldest collections in the world) and sculptures.