Louvre Photo

Louvre Photo is the Louvre's exhibition about its own image: over 300 photographs of the museum, its building, its collections and its visitors, from the earliest daguerreotypes to digital images. It is part of France's Photography Bicentenary programme, marking two hundred years since the invention of photography. The exhibition runs on the Napoleon Mezzanine from 4 November 2026 to 3 May 2027.

For photographers, it is a chance to see almost the entire history of the medium through one subject, in one of the world's most photographed places.

About the Exhibition

Since the birth of photography in the nineteenth century, photographers have turned their cameras on the Louvre: its façades and courtyards, its galleries and statues, the work of restorers and the crowds of visitors. Louvre Photo brings these images together to show how photography has recorded, studied and shaped our view of the museum. The selection covers early processes such as daguerreotypes and salted paper prints, the documentary photography of the twentieth century and contemporary digital images.

Exhibition Dates

4 November 2026 — Exhibition opens 9 November 2026 – 12 April 2027 — Sunday guided tours at 11:30 3 May 2027 — Exhibition closes

The Photography Bicentenary

France is celebrating two hundred years of photography in 2026–2027, honouring Nicéphore Niépce's early experiments and the photographers who followed. Louvre Photo is one of the highlights, alongside exhibitions in other Paris museums, including the Musée d'Orsay's show on Gustave Le Gray. Paris Photo, the photography fair, also takes place in November.

Why Visit Louvre Photo?

The exhibition shows how photographers have approached the same building in very different ways: as architecture, as a collection to catalogue, as a stage for people. It is a useful lesson in point of view for anyone photographing museums, cities or architecture today. It also shows how photographic technology changed the way art itself was seen and shared.

Who Should Visit?

• Photographers and photography students
• Architecture and urban photographers
• Historians of photography and museums
• Visitors to the Louvre wanting a new angle on the museum

Tickets

Entry to the exhibition is included in general museum admission, but booking an online timed slot in advance is required. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.

Tips for Visiting

Book early, especially for weekends and holidays. Visit the exhibition first, then walk through the museum with new eyes, looking for the viewpoints you saw in the photographs. Join the Sunday guided tour for more context. Bring your own camera or phone too: the museum allows photography for personal use in most galleries, and the exhibition may give you new ideas for framing what you see.

Photographing Museums Today

The Louvre is one of the most photographed buildings on earth, from the glass pyramid to the Mona Lisa crowds. The exhibition invites you to think about what it means to photograph a place that has already been photographed millions of times. Look for unexpected angles, people and moments, as the photographers in the exhibition did, and notice how each period's technology influenced what could be captured: long exposures emptied the galleries of people, while handheld cameras brought visitors into the frame.

The Napoleon Mezzanine

The exhibition is on the Napoleon Mezzanine, under the glass pyramid, close to the main entrance. That makes it easy to combine with the rest of your visit.

Things to Know

• Dates: 4 November 2026 – 3 May 2027.
• Over 300 photographs of the Louvre.
• Included in museum admission; timed booking required.
• Closed Tuesdays.

Visit the Exhibition

Planning a visit?

Visit the Louvre

Tickets, tours and opening hours are on the official Louvre website.

Looking for more to see? Browse all events, festivals and exhibitions on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: October 29, 2026