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The Grand Salon of the Napoleon III Apartments in the Louvre

Napoleon III Apartments

The museum map labels apartments across Rooms 535 to 549, on Richelieu level 1. Its renovation article gives Rooms 539 to 549. The current schedule shows them closed on Thursdays, with an additional closure during Friday late opening.

Photo: Bradley Weber, CC BY 2.0

Checked on 14 November 2026

Napoleon III Apartments
Rooms 535–549

Richelieu wing, level 1. This is the museum map's range; the renovation article gives Rooms 539 to 549. The wider span includes rooms labelled for other collections.

The apartments today
Open today

Closed on Thursdays, and during the Friday late opening.

More
Grand Salon
Room 544

Its chandelier weighs 3 tonnes.

On level 1 of the Richelieu wing, follow the museum's route through Room 500 and past the café to Room 535.

The route

Where are the Napoleon III Apartments in the Louvre?

The apartments are on Richelieu level 1; the trail enters at Room 535 and reaches the Grand Salon in Room 544. Secret Treasures of the Richelieu Wing takes one hour, with Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday listed as available days. The apartments close during Friday late opening; its start time is not confirmed.

On level 1, go through Room 500 and past the café to Room 535, with turquoise panelling. From Room 539, continue through Rooms 540 to 543 to the Grand Salon in Room 544. The imperial portraits are in Room 545; the large dining room is Room 548.

The way out is back through the small apartments and Room 500 to the escalators.

What to do: Check the day before you go: these rooms are closed on Thursdays on the current schedule, and during the Friday late opening.

The history

Did Napoleon III live in the Louvre apartments?

No, these rooms were the residence of Napoleon III's Minister of State, first occupied in 1861. Their name refers to the style of decoration; the imperial family lived in the Tuileries Palace.

Architect Hector Lefuel built the Richelieu wing from 1857 to link the Louvre to the Tuileries Palace. The minister and his family occupied modest private rooms. These lead into state apartments used for receptions, decorated with gold, velvet, paintings and stucco.

After the Second Empire, the Ministry of Finance occupied the rooms until 1989. They opened to the public in 1993 and later reopened after a full renovation.

The rooms

What is in the Napoleon III Apartments?

Room 544, the Grand Salon, has a 3-tonne chandelier beneath a ceiling showing the Louvre's construction from François I to Napoleon III. The adjoining salon-theatre is Room 545. Official accounts differ on the theatre's arrangement and capacity, with estimates of nearly 200, up to 250 and over 250 guests.

The portraits of Empress Eugénie and Napoleon III hang in the next room, Room 545. The large dining room could seat 40 guests at its table.

The seats on show include the indiscret, an armchair for three people that the Second Empire made fashionable.

Opening times

When are the Napoleon III Apartments open?

The current schedule shows the Napoleon III Apartments closed on Thursdays. They also close during Friday late opening; the museum does not specify when that closure starts.

The Louvre opens from 9:00 to 18:00, or until 21:00 on Wednesdays and Fridays. It closes on Tuesdays, 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. Last entry is one hour before closing; staff start clearing rooms 30 minutes before.

People also ask

Did Napoleon III live in the Louvre?
Not in these rooms. They were the residence of his Minister of State; the imperial family lived in the Tuileries Palace.
Where are the Napoleon III Apartments in the Louvre?
On Richelieu level 1, the museum map gives Rooms 535 to 549; its renovation article gives 539 to 549. Follow the trail from Room 535 to the Grand Salon in Room 544.
Are the Napoleon III Apartments open every day?
No: the current schedule gives Closed on Thursdays, with closure during Friday late opening. The Friday closure time is not specified; status today: Open today.
How heavy is the chandelier in the Napoleon III Apartments?
The chandelier of the Grand Salon weighs 3 tonnes.
When did the Napoleon III Apartments open to the public?
In 1993, after the Ministry of Finance left the rooms in 1989.
How do you get to the Napoleon III Apartments?
Head to level 1 of the Richelieu wing. Go through Room 500 and past the café to Room 535, with its turquoise panelling.

Louvre guided tours

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Louvre visit guides

  • Louvre rooms open today

    The museum closes some of its 29 collections on set days of the week.

  • Mona Lisa

    Room 711, the Salle des États, on level 1 of the Denon wing.

  • Louvre tickets

    €32, or €22 for residents and citizens of the European Economic Area. Under 18s enter free with ID.

Sources checked on 14 November 2026: Louvre: The splendour of the Second Empire, Louvre: Secret Treasures of the Richelieu Wing, Louvre: Schedule of open rooms.