The pride of France's heritage, the Louvre is a building of many facets. A historical monument, it housed the most powerful rulers of their time, and its rooms bore witness to events that marked the history of France. A museum, it boasts an unparalleled collection of masterpieces, and its ever-growing public is fast approaching the 10 million annual visitor mark. An institution and research center, the Louvre is also a buzzing hive of activity for the some 2,000 people who work there each day, from curators and security guards to electricians and lecturers, not to mention gilders and marble layers, and even firefighters and waiters!

Whether familiar with the Louvre or seeing it for the first time, readers are invited to discover a place you can visit a thousand times and still encounter something new. The Louvre of history, the Louvre of artworks and the Louvre of people: the blend of these three ingredients makes it an extraordinary meeting place for scholars, art lovers, and curious minds the world over.