Formerly a royal palace, the Louvre embraces eight centuries of French history. Intended as a universal museum since its creation in 1793, its collections – among the finest in the world – span several thousands of years and a territory that extends from America to the confines of Asia. The Louvre is a universal museum with eight curatorial departments: Egyptian Antiquities; Near Eastern Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities; Paintings; Sculptures; Decorative Arts; Prints and Drawings; and Islamic Art. Some 35,000 works of art are on display, including world-famous masterpieces such as the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Seated Scribe, the Winged Bulls of Khorsabad, the Mona Lisa and Michelangelo’s Slaves, and parts of the palace, such as the Napoleon III Apartments, are works of art in their own right. A ninth department, devoted to Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art, is being created and is scheduled to open in 2025.
