The Louvre is one of the world’s most famous museums, and for good reason. It houses priceless works of art from across the centuries and around the world—from ancient Mesopotamia to the Italian Renaissance.

As someone who wishes that in another life to be an art history expert, I was really excited about visiting the Louvre—but also a bit intimidated: how can we conquer such a huge museum?

Read on for some of our tips for how to survive—and really love—the Louvre.

1. Slow down and see less, focus more: This is really similar to our travel philosophy—to go slowly in order to appreciate things more fully. In a place like the Louvre, filled to the brim with one-of-a-kind treasures, it’s easy to feel like if we skip that room, we’ll miss out on something super famous and unique. But we didn’t want our visit to the Louvre to just be a whirlwind, we wanted to really enjoy and absorb what we were looking at.

But even our plan proved to be too much—over six hours, we visited ancient Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, and the Italian Renaissance. It probably would have been better if we had just focused on two or three of these halls instead.

2. Invest in an audio guide: We didn’t do this, and I wish we had. There is just so much to take in when visiting even one exhibit at the Louvre, and a well-done audio guide can really help unpack it all. Many exhibits did have some “visit cards” that provided historical context, but rarely did these give specific details about the works of art there. (And often, there weren’t any English cards available). Also, most of the descriptions on the plaques next to pieces are only in French. So if you want to learn more about the art and not just look at it without much context, get a guide—either through the Louvre, or download one in advance.

3. Use the free self-service lockers: Perhaps a bit random, but I loved the Louvre’s locker room. In the main entry area, there’s a huge self-service locker room with no waiting in line. Because we went to the Louvre on the day we switched apartments, we were able to bring our big backpacks and check them here for free. The biggest lockers available will fit a standard carry-on bag. And even if you don’t have big packs like us, it’s still nice to walk around the Louvre unburdened from coats and bags.

4. Take a food break!: We actually had a decent lunch at the a la carte cafe inside the Louvre entrance for 10 euro per person. But tickets to the Louvre are good all day and for multiple entries and exits, so it’s easy to go out for lunch—you may just have to go through the potentially long security line again. There’s a mall connected to the museum with some lunch places, including a McDonald’s if you’re desperate! Either way, having a good lunch break (we took an hour) can help rejuvenate you for another go around the Louvre.

5. Visit on a Friday night to avoid the crowds: The Louvre is open until 10 PM on Wednesday and Friday nights, while it closes at 6 PM on other days (and is closed on Tuesday). We visited on Friday afternoon, and when we were leaving around 6 PM we noticed that the crowds were starting to thin out, and the security line getting in was virtually nonexistent. There may always be a crowd around the Mona Lisa, but at least you may have lots of the rest of the museum to yourself!

Travel Notes:

• The Louvre is open every day except for Tuesdays. The hours are 9 AM – 6 PM, and until 10 PM on Wednesday and Friday.
• Tickets cost 15 euros, though some people get free admission, such as minors under 18, 18-25 year old residents of the EU, and teachers of art or art history.