The Louvre, like many other world-famous museums, had to temporarily close its doors until the foreseeable future. From having nearly 10 million guests a year in 2019, the pandemic caused the visitor count to drop to less than 3 million in 2020 as reported by CNN Paris. Just recently they put more than 480,000 pieces of art on their website which people can view for free.
Take a Virtual Tour of the Louvre
If you had a pending trip to Paris, chances are a visit to the Louvre Museum is part of your itinerary. Now that they’ve posted their entire collection online, you can freely view masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo from the comfort of your home. These works of art are part of the national collections and include antiques, paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings, and decorative arts found in the galleries of the Louvre.
The Hidden Treasures of Louvre
Jean-Luc Martinez, President-Director of the Musée du Louvre says they are showcasing all their treasures, including the least-known pieces. “For the first time, anyone can access the entire collection of works from a computer or smartphone for free, whether they are on display in the museum, on loan, even long-term, or in storage. The Louvre’s stunning cultural heritage is all now just a click away! I am sure that this digital content is going to further inspire people to come to the Louvre to discover the collections in person.”
An Updated Database
Compared to other museums, it took a while for the Louvre to go digital. But considering they have more than 480,000 works of art to upload, the wait was worth it. Their website user-friendly with an interactive map of the exhibits in case you ever get lost, and the entries are updated daily. It continuously takes input from management and documentation services, and the collection database is written by a team of experts from the Louvre.
Museums in Paris are still closed as per the French government’s measures against COVID-19 and the Louvre is currently undergoing renovations so it’s unable to accommodate visitors. In the meantime, you can view their collection for free but sharing and downloading of the images is prohibited.
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