The gallery is one of the most famous in the world. It was originally a royal palace but was abandoned as a residence when Louis XIV moved his court to Versailles in 1682.

The first royal art collection was inaugurated here in the 16^th century and was opened to the public as a gallery in the 18^th century. It now houses a rich collection of ancient and Western art, most famously Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.

In the late 1980s the Louvre was renovated and expanded. Plans included the now famous glass pyramid in the central courtyard. Despite the original protests, the pyramid has become a landmark of the city. In November 1993, to mark the gallery’s 200th anniversary, the museum opened the Richelieu wing.