The Louvre, also referred to as the Louvre Museum, is a renowned national art museum situated in Paris, France, and is one of the most famous museums globally. Located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement, the area is known for housing iconic Western art pieces, including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory.
 

The museum is located in the Louvre Palace, originally built by Philip II in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Remains of the medieval Louvre fortress can be found in the museum's basement. Urban growth caused the fortress to lose its defensive function, leading Francis I to convert it into the primary abode of the French monarchs in 1546
There were many changes and enhancements made to the building to form the present Louvre Palace. In 1682, Louis XIV chose the Palace of Versailles as his residence, while the Louvre was mainly used to display the royal collection, including Greek and Roman sculptures starting in 1692.

The Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres and the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture took over the building in 1692 and 1699, and in the same year, the first of a series of salons was organized. For 100 years, the Académie was located at the Louvre. During the French Revolution, the National Assembly decided that the most important works of art in the country should be showcased at the Louvre as a museum.
 

When the museum opened on August 10, 1793, there were 537 paintings showcased, most of which were church property that had been stolen or confiscated. The museum remained shut down between 1796 and 1801 as a result of problems with the building's structure. Napoleon enlarged the assortment and renamed the museum as Musée Napoléon; nevertheless, numerous artworks captured by his soldiers were returned to their rightful owners after Napoleon stepped down.
 

During the Second French Empire, the museum gained another 20,000 pieces with contributions from Louis XVIII and Charles X. In the Third Republic, the number of holdings has steadily grown due to donations and inheritances. The collection is comprised of eight curatorial departments: Egyptian Antiquities, Near Eastern Antiquities, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, Islamic Art, Sculpture, Decorative Arts, Paintings, and Prints and Drawings.
The Louvre Museum showcases around half a million items and 35,000 artworks, with eight curatorial departments and over 60,600 m2 (652,000 sq ft) dedicated to the permanent collection. The Louvre showcases archaeological findings, paintings, sketches, statues, and artistic items.
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