Although the painting is not spectacular at the first sight, many adults would fly to Paris, then rush to the Louvre to get too close to the Mona Lisa, to take picture of her or a selfie, then move on. Additionally, the students can explore the artist's footsteps and how they devoted their lives to the creation of their masterpiece. It takes a long time for a piece of art to be accepted as a Masterpiece at the Louvre. Image credit: Olivier Bruchez via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0. Image credit: John Donges via Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0, By Metro: Lines 1 & 7 (Station: Palais Royal Muse du Louvre); Line 14 (Station: Pyramid), By Bus:21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81, 95 & Open Top(Bus Stop is in front of the Pyramid), Velib bicycled hire stations near the museum: The Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, 5. There are plenty of places and spaces to eat around the Museum. She lived in Florence, the same city where Leonardo her painter lived before he moved to France. Nowadays, the modern glass structure has become a landmark in its own right, although it is MUCH smaller in real life than what we expected! This Paris hotel is only a short 9 min walk to the Louvre, and theres a very cool space-age playground about a minute away. The Louvre Pyramid was built in the 1980s as the main entrance to the Louvre Museum by Chinese American architect I.M. Da Vinci had a lot of thirst for knowledge and was a perfectionist when it comes to painting, continuously improving his painting skills. Every year, she welcomes alone about 10 million new visitors coming just to see her alone ! When you arrive, join the Orange Line for direct entry. (We booked a Skip the Line tour of the Eiffel Tower with Get your Guide, so when we got there the kids and I didnt have to queue). Therefore, we see walls of a fortress inside, followed by beautiful and elegant rooms. Following the French Revolution, the kings were chased out by the people and the Louvre was open for everyone. The gallery features plaster or resin casts of the original sculptures on display at the Louvre. After trying to work with booklets that I bought from the museums boutiques, I found out that they were loaded with many dates, events, names and superfluous stories the children can be quickly overwhelmed with too much information. Let's adapt to their level of energy instead :). INSIDE: Curious about the Louvre for children? Artists life was special: they ascended the social ladder and earned their money via the ladder of Art. The fashion for women then was to pluck their eyebrows. We can rest on the available sofa in each room of the Louvre. See below for more family activities in the Louvre. Da Vinci used natural pigments that he found around him. Duration of painting The Louvre is less crowded today thanks to the new sanitary rules. Bookmark this page so you can find us again. This sphinx was excavated in 1825 from among the ruins of the Temple of Amun at Tanis. Built as a fortress, the Louvre protected Paris from its invading armies. She is is sitting on her balcony, she rests the left side of her hand on the arm of an armchair. The painter allows it to emphasize certain parts of the painting, like the cheekbones or the hands of the model, while giving other parts a lot of relief and volume.

Plus, at the end of the guided tour, you are free to wander the Louvre museum until the kids have truly had enough! I have included some elements of the story of the Mona Lisa. n 1013: 186 rue Saint-Honor. After this incident, it is true that she became very famous and has been described as "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world". Did she stayed like this while he painted her? The Louvre adddress is Muse du Louvre, 75058 Paris France It is important to entertain the creative minds of Children with an embellished story line that they can follow. The Louvre was built shortly after 1190 by King Philippe Auguste. Our tip is book a Louvre kids tour, one with activities. It seems logical to enjoy more time with your children when you hire a professional tour g;uide in Paris, experienced with guiding children in the Louvre. I advice you to contact me if you can't find it easy to buy any tickets. The Louvre has strollers, baby carriers and wheelchairs to borrow, free of charge to visitors who have difficulty moving around the museum. Make sure that the children are well rested and well fed. So, ultimately, what can a masterpiece bring to a child? You can visit the Louvre on your own very easily. If the kids are a bit older, they can always take their own pencils and drawing pads, and sketch as they go. Did you know theres over 35,000 objects on display out of a collection of 380,000? Before we begin: Takeadvantage of the Louvres evening hours on Wednesdays and Fridays until 9:45 p.m and take the kids in the early eveningwhen the crowds are less boisterous. ), your audience (eg family, children, adults only, disability?). Today the Louvre Museum is the worlds most visited museum. Her smiles comes and goes when you look away or stare at her eyes. Even though her dress was made of fine fabrics, she didn't wear makeup or jewelry, as most women of her social rank would have done at the time. It is true that the Art Academy was sponsored by the bourgeoisie: the very rich and the most prominent people were the jury. This tour encompasses walking, running and dancing to help children to discover the representations of the body in motion. Without doubt, the main reason most people plan on visiting the Louvre museum is to see Leonardo da Vincis Mona Lisa. The Louvre glass pyramid was built in the 1980s as the main entrance to the Louvre Museum. It would be nice if the children took home a good souvenir of their trip to Paris. The Department of Graphic Arts featuring Prints and Drawings, 6. Maybe not the final version of his experiment because he never stopped learning and painting the Mona Lisa until he died. It took him three years to paint this masterpiece : 1503-1506 and maybe more as the painter never stopped learning, copying the original and practicing his techniques.

Book your (Timed Entry) Skip the Line Louvre Museum tickets, Book your Skip the Line Louvre Museum tickets with an audio guide and detailed map included, Venus de Milo and stories of Greek mythology, the much-adored Winged Victory of Samothrace, learn about a variety of the antique statues, the MONA LISA, along with stories about her intriguing smile and what it means, the time frame you have (eg 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, all day? We can also explain the hard techniques, the long process and the amazing realism of the painting. The most beautiful objects they left are waiting for you to see in the Louvre. Da Vinci was obsessed since a young age to draw exactly what he observes with clinical proportions. It is almost every day that I go to work at the Louvre since I passed my exams in 2011.

You can buy tickets in advance, but you must pick them up in person at a different location. They are waiting for the technology to advance to permit them to clean the painting with a lot of caution. Round Up of the BEST PLAYGROUNDS in Paris for Kids! Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The painting was already coveted by the kings. The Louvreis simply the name of one of the worlds most famous museums and is located in Paris, France. Why is she following me? Be patient as children will find it difficult to contemplate the masterpieces of the Louvre, under the pressure of the adults around them. I will answer emails, sms texts, whatsapps and calls in max 24h. Yes, exploring the Louvre with kids IS possible, despite the crowds, and yes, it can be good fun. Stop by the Aire de Jeux playground near the Louvre after your visit so the kids can run off steam! It is clear that the painter did not reproduce a real site (except for the tiny Tower on the left, it comes from real life). From January 2019, the Louvre is open for free to all visitors, the first Saturday of each month from 6 p.m. until closing at 9.45 p.m. Becoming a museum in 1793, it presents more than 73,000 m of Western art from the Middle Ages to 1848, as well as ancient civilizations that preceded and influenced it. (Get it from the App store or Googleplay). Hot tip: Stop by the Aire de Jeux playground near the Louvre after your visit so the kids can run off steam! * My team thinks it is important to include this teaching technique (even briefly) in our treasure hunt game. Be sure to follow that with a sweet macaron or two at one of the local cafes or restaurants in Paris nearby. First, I advise you to explain to your child what is the Louvre, and why are we visiting the Louvre. During the guided tour service, adapted to children, take the opportunity to ask your expert guide anything. It is natural for a child who is spontaneous in his enthusiasm to be spontaneous in his disappointment as well. Click around a few times before you give up. The Louvre is currently a museum but used to be a palace. Website: Click here. In the Louvre, you will travel through time and see what is left from old civilizations : Not only their art works, but also their innovative tools, their writings, their crafts, their hygiene products, their afterlife means, tombs and Sarcophagi, jewelry, their identification rings, their symbols, their ceremonial clothing and their ritual objects. If you go to the Louvre using a Taxi or Uber, give your driver this address : buy your tickets in advance using this link. The Louvre Museum is used in France, everyday, as a learning university for many national schools. In this case, the painter does not only draw perfect objects or portraits or landscapes, but he can paint new things. His personality and creativity are more important. Children under 18 do not need tickets? A slightly less dull color is also described in old descriptions. If you are visiting Paris with children, book a stay at the Novotel Paris les Halles. By examining the individuality of its expression, we measure the originality of the work. On the first floor, you will discover an impressive art bookstore, and an area entirely dedicated to the children and young people. The Venus de Milo sculpture is over 2,000 years old. Its the ideal spot for families to eat, with the museum and the Louvre Pyramid in view. Let me share some of these fun questions below to prepare you for your visit of the Louvre with your kid(s) ! All prices in EURO, unless otherwise stated, Where is the Louvre? Entry is free for children under 18, with proof of age. Humanity's irreplaceable treasures are displayed in the Louvre museum. or, enjoy a concert for families at the Louvre auditorium. Image credit: Ernest McGray Jr via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. That's why we bring crayons and blank canvas with us. He used almost 40 layers with tiny premeditated brushstrokes for many years to create the veil. Hot tip: You may try the blue line to purchase tickets if you have a stroller with you, or are pregnant. Image credit: Denis McLaughlin via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0. Beautifully curated, the Louvre museum shop has a wide range of products derived from the collections and exhibitions of the museum. They catch the mental picture in details and they can continue painting on their own without the need of being next to their subject. Image credit: David Stanley via Flickr CC BY-2.0. The loan is made in exchange for a piece of identification. Join the green line to queue for buying tickets. The king and his court often collect these masterpieces according to their taste and to certain rules : proportionality, the landscape, the realism, the 3D perspective, the human anatomy, the emotions but also according to their agenda, in accordance to their political ideas that they wished to propagate. Copyright 2021 | Roam the Gnome | Bamboo on Trellis Framework by Mediavine. Da Vinci maybe wanted this painting to look realistic as much as possible, without getting the viewer distracted from the Mona Lisa's face. He started his first painting of Mona Lisa with her sister. Actually, the garment was suitable for married women. It is important to remember that children need explanations about (almost everything!) Our themed tours are adapted for Adults without children, perfect for people working as Developers, Designers, Architects, Art directors, Entrepreneurs, team leaders, music producers or movie producers who are looking for inspiration in the Louvre. Image credit: Naturehead via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0. Unless you are on a mission to how much is possible to see in the Louvre Museum Paris in one day, we recommend you stick with the Highlights of the Louvre if you have the kids in tow. At a very young age, they learned how to draw, to paint, to sculpt in order to accomplish a classical piece of Art that would please their Kings or their religious leaders. LOUVRE TALES |2011| THE LOUVRE GUIDED TOUR, By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of Google Analytics. Then, the Mona Lisa was recovered after two years and brought back to the Louvre and remained there since. The Statue of An Ghazal was modelled by hand on a skeleton frame of braided fiber ropes so it stands. Visitors would come to the Louvre to take pictures of the empty space. The painting you will see in the Louvre is truly painted by Leonardo Da Vinci. Image credit: Jastrow via Wikimedia Public domain. Today, she is sitting behind bulletproof glass in the 'Paintings' section, in the Denon wing of the Louvre. Image credit: Chris Waits via Wiki Commons CC BY-2.0. Opt for the Family option of the Friends of the Louvre when you subscribe to the Louvre and youll enjoy one year of privileges for 1 to 2 adults, and up to 3 children, with Option Famille: Image credit: Connie Ma viaWikimedia commons CC BY-2.0. I also work with travel agents on special projects or specific topics. In one of these long galleries, a masterpiece called the Mona Lisa or La Joconde in French, is showcased to visitors, in a room usually crowded with people. Image credit: Joe deSousa via Flickr Public domain. After moving to France, the painter died there in 1519 at the age of 67. Its definitely another good option if you want to visit the Louvre with kids. Check out the Louvre Floor Plan PDF before you go. If we look closely, we see that the contours of the hands and face are not defined by a straight line. Yes! The French people then decided to exhibit their nation's masterpieces. Picnic tables: Yes, at cafes and outdoors Today it is known by two names: Monna Lisa (or Mona Lisa), La Joconde ( Gioconda ) We found the names in documents from the 16th century. (Be sure to click both the cafe, and restaurant tabs to see the full list). Guides begin to close the rooms from 5.30 p.m. or 9.30 p.m. on night days. Take a look at our EPIC Guide to the Louvre for kids, including what we believe is the best time to visit the Louvre with kids. You can see this technique in his other paintings (4 of them are displayed also in the Louvre, in the gallery before the Mona Lisa). What is the best day to visit the Louvre?

And go with the experts who know how to navigate around the crowds. Entrances at the Carrousel du Louvre from the Mtro station or at Passage Richelieu off Rue de Rivoli avoid the long lines. For me, taking the initiative to read about the Louvre before your visit and planning a great moment for your kids is an excellent first step! The Louvre ticket price for tickets purchased on site cost 15 euros per adult**(subject to change), however it is highly recommended you buy online in advance to guarantee entry as crowds are growing. This painting was first exhibited at Chteau de Fontainebleau as early as the 16th century, although it is unclear how the monarch became its owner: its gift from the painter's hands formed the core of the Louvre collection when it opened just after the French Revolution in 1793. Image credit: Andy Rusch via Flickr CC BY-2.0. A masterpiece is a work of art done with uncommon skill and phenomenal beauty. n 1014: 5 rue de lEchelle You should know that I wrote this article with a lot of love, as I am a mother of two daughters, and I only want to help fellow parents in providing a good experience for the loved little ones. Through story-telling, children will find it easier to focus on their first visit in the biggest Museum of France: the Louvre. Many of his drawings were prototypes of futuristic flying machines, cities, war machines, among others, never produced but attesting to his constant research. Enter the museum in less than 30 minutesby purchasing your ticket online direct from the Louvrehere. Or, you could try to be in line right at opening if you only have a couple of hours, and can be out before the crowds thicken around mid morning.

Upon entering the Pyramid, take the left entrance if you have your tickets with you, and then, after the security check, turn left to take the elevator for families with strollers. Image : King Francis I Receives the Last Breaths of Leonardo da Vinci.

They will learn why these pieces are displayed at the Louvre after a very selective process. Guides have tricks up their sleeve (games, puzzles, quizzes) to make sure everyone is engaged and having fun as the whole family explores the history of art. Speak to the receptionists in the reception area under the Pyramid. Someone once asked us if the kids would see dead bodies? Originally a simple defensive fortress, the Louvre has long been one of the principal residences of the kings of France. This gives you a good idea of what is where, so you can plan your entrance, and your Louvre route. DO demonstrate to him/her that you are curious, eager to learn about the new notions. She demonstrates the self-control of a middle-class woman in her balanced silhouette in the shape of a triangle. If you are asking the question, If I only have two hours to spend in the Louvre what should I see?, heres a little secret! A privileged and unlimited access to the collections, Free access to the young audience programming of the Auditorium, and, 3 months subscription to Le Petit Lonard magazine, Saturday: 9 a.m. 6 p.m. (until 9:45 p.m. the first Saturday of each month Richelieu wing by prior reservation). The collection is divided among eight curatorial departments: With over 7,500 artworks, the Paintings Department is probably the most loved part of the museum. 65 percent of these Louvre visitors are foreign tourists. Art is very important in the national education of France. Families canalso hire an audioguide on a Nintendo 3DS XL this guide is led by curators and speakers who guide you through the museum at your own pace, so you can make stops or detours when you need to! Lisa Gherardini and her husband apparently never received Leonardo's portrait. This is an illusion, one of Da Vinci many tricks. This small portrait painting takes a huge space in the Louvre. La Joconde was among the paintings he brought with him. I must confess that I am a daughter of a professional tour guide, and I am a mother of two daughters : Like my mother, I enjoy every opportunity to buy the latest Art history magazine and scavenger hunt games for my children when we visit a new place.