The Louvre in miniature

Give the model a moment before trying to name everything in it. Look for a courtyard, a line of buildings and an open space you recognise from your arrival. At this size, you can compare their positions without walking between them. The Louvre grew over centuries, changing from a fortress into a royal residence and then a museum. A model helps you hold that larger story in mind while individual rooms reveal its details. Start with a shape you recognise from your arrival. Then notice how the built areas and open areas relate to one another. Keep the model’s label in view. It identifies which version of the building you are seeing. The Louvre changed over many centuries, so a model may show a stage different from the palace outside today. Choose one part you recognise and use it to place another part beside it.