TheMuséeduLouvre(Frenchpronunciation:[myzedyluvʁ])–inEnglish,theLouvreMuseumorsimplytheLouvre–isoneoftheworld'slargestmuseums,themostvisitedartmuseumintheworldandahistoricmonument.AcentrallandmarkofParis,itislocatedontheRightBankoftheSeineinthe1starrondissement(district).Nearly35,000objectsfromprehistorytothe19thcenturyareexhibitedoveranareaof60,600squaremetres(652,300squarefeet).

　　ThemuseumishousedintheLouvrePalace(PalaisduLouvre)whichbeganasafortressbuiltinthelate12thcenturyunderPhilipII.Remnantsofthefortressarevisibleinthebasementofthemuseum.ThebuildingwasextendedmanytimestoformthepresentLouvrePalace.In1682,LouisXIVchosethePalaceofVersaillesforhishousehold,leavingtheLouvreprimarilyasaplacetodisplaytheroyalcollection,including,from1692,acollectionofantiquesculpture.[4]In1692,thebuildingwasoccupiedbytheAcadémiedesInscriptionsetBellesLettresandtheAcadémieRoyaledePeintureetdeSculpture,whichin1699heldthefirstofaseriesofsalons.TheAcadémieremainedattheLouvrefor100years.[5]DuringtheFrenchRevolution,theNationalAssemblydecreedthattheLouvreshouldbeusedasamuseum,todisplaythenation'smasterpieces.

　　Themuseumopenedon10August1793withanexhibitionof537paintings,themajorityoftheworksbeingroyalandconfiscatedchurchproperty.Becauseofstructuralproblemswiththebuilding,themuseumwasclosedin1796until1801.ThesizeofthecollectionincreasedunderNapoleonandthemuseumwasrenamedtheMuséeNapoléon.AfterthedefeatofNapoléonatWaterloo,manyworksseizedbyhisarmieswerereturnedtotheiroriginalowners.ThecollectionwasfurtherincreasedduringthereignsofLouisXVIIIandCharlesX,andduringtheSecondFrenchEmpirethemuseumgained20,000pieces.HoldingshavegrownsteadilythroughdonationsandgiftssincetheThirdRepublic.Asof2008,thecollectionisdividedamongeightcuratorialdepartments:EgyptianAntiquities;NearEasternAntiquities;Greek,Etruscan,andRomanAntiquities;IslamicArt;Sculpture;DecorativeArts;Paintings;PrintsandDrawings.