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Which Louvre entrance is best?

For an individual visit, start with the Pyramid, the Louvre's main entrance. Ticket holders can also use Carrousel or Porte des Lions, which has last entry at 17:00.

Checked on 13 November 2026

Main individual entrance
Pyramid

Separate queues serve ticket holders, visitors without tickets, and disabled visitors or staff.

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Lions last entry
17:00

Porte des Lions stops admitting visitors at this time, including on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Richelieu late closure
19:30

Passage Richelieu closes at this time on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Check which entrance accepts your ticket or visitor category before choosing where to arrive.

Pyramid

Who should use the Louvre Pyramid entrance?

The Pyramid is the main entrance for individual visitors, with separate queues for different visitor categories.

The entrance finder sends visitors with wheelchairs or prams to the Pyramid and its reserved central lift. The accessibility page also describes a Carrousel route with escalators and two lifts.

Free lockers and equipment loans are beneath the Pyramid. You can borrow a wheelchair or pushchair with a piece of ID.

  • Green: visitors with tickets or a Paris Museum Pass.
  • Orange: visitors without tickets.
  • Blue: priority access for disabled visitors and staff.

Carrousel

Can you use the Louvre Carrousel entrance?

You can use Carrousel with an admission ticket; its address is 99 rue de Rivoli. The underground car park also connects to the museum through the Galerie du Carrousel.

The entrances page also permits groups and membership-card holders at Carrousel. The FAQ says groups and membership-card holders must use Passage Richelieu.

What to do: For a group or membership visit, check the museum's entrance instructions before you arrive.

Passage Richelieu

Who can enter the Louvre through Passage Richelieu?

Passage Richelieu is reserved for groups, museum activities, auditorium events, membership-card holders and certain other authorised visitors. It is on rue de Rivoli.

Groups of up to 6 visitors may use it with a reservation and an official guide.

17:30 is the closing time on regular opening days. On Wednesdays and Fridays, it closes at 19:30, before the museum shuts at 21:00.

Porte des Lions

What are the Louvre Porte des Lions restrictions?

Porte des Lions admits only visitors who already hold an admission ticket, with last entry at 17:00. You enter from Quai François Mitterrand.

The entrance closes at 18:00 on open days, including Wednesday and Friday, and stays closed on Tuesdays. Equipment loans are unavailable here, and its locker room is accessible only until 15:00.

What to do: Use the lockers beneath the Pyramid if you need to leave belongings after 15:00, and collect them the same day.

People also ask

Which Louvre entrance has the shortest queue?
The museum's entrance information gives no waiting times to compare. Choose by access conditions and your ticket, then allow time for security checks.
Which Louvre entrance is for visitors without tickets?
The Pyramid has a queue for visitors without tickets. On-site tickets are sold only when attendance is low, subject to availability.
What time can you enter the Louvre in the evening?
On Wednesdays and Fridays, museum last entry is 20:00, before closing at 21:00. Richelieu closes at 19:30; Porte des Lions stops admitting visitors at 17:00.
Can you bring a suitcase into the Louvre?
No, suitcases and large bags are not allowed inside the Louvre. Items larger than 55 × 35 × 20 cm are refused in the welcome area and galleries.
Is the Louvre Pyramid courtyard open before the museum?
Yes, the Cour Napoléon opens at 7:30, while the museum opens at 9:00 on its visiting days. The courtyard closes at 21:00.
Where can you borrow a wheelchair at the Louvre?
You can borrow a wheelchair free of charge from the visitor assistance area beneath the Pyramid, in exchange for ID. Equipment loans are unavailable at Porte des Lions.

Louvre guided tours

7 picked from 56

Louvre visit guides

  • Getting to the Louvre

    Plan your transport and arrival point around the entrance you intend to use.

  • The Louvre Pyramid

    The lobby beneath the Pyramid has lockers, information desks and equipment loans.

  • Louvre tickets

    Book your time slot before choosing an entrance that requires an admission ticket.

Sources checked on 13 November 2026: Louvre: Map, entrances & directions, Louvre: Accessibility, Louvre: Visitor amenities.