Cover The Louvre's entire archive and collection is now available to view online—for free (Photo: Getty Images)

Would-be visitors can now enjoy the museum’s entire archive and collection—for free

The Musée du Louvre has just announced that it will open up the museum for guests from all over the globe—virtually, of course. The Parisian museum has put its entire collection online, allowing anyone, anywhere to take a leisurely stroll through the famous museum.

“Today, the Louvre is dusting off its treasures, even the least-known,” Jean-Luc Martinez, President-Director of the Musée du Louvre, shared in a press release. “For the first time, anyone can access the entire collection of works from a computer or smartphone for free, whether they are on display in the museum, on loan, even long-term, or in storage.”

With over 500,000 works available for viewing, exploring the Louvre virtually, much like in-person visits to the museum, can be overwhelming. Thankfully, the museum has also included an interactive map that will allow visitors to explore the museum room-by-room or browse by a specific theme. Those who are keen to see a specific work can use the search function and skip over virtual browsing entirely.

The Musée du Louvre was closed to visitors early on in the pandemic; briefly opening throughout the summer when COVID-19 numbers were down. The museum has since remained closed to visitors due to Paris’ strict lockdown measures—but museum executives believe that bringing the museum into the homes of would-be visitors will allow for a sorely-missed dose of culture.

The virtual visit will be made available in French, English, Spanish, and Mandarin—and while it is available to be used on smartphones, tablets, and computers, it was primarily designed to be used on phones “given the widespread use of mobile devices today.”

“The Louvre's stunning cultural heritage is all now just a click away!” added Martinez, “I am sure that this digital content is going to further inspire people to come to the Louvre to discover the collections in person.”

See also: The Louvre Is Getting A New Look While Closed During The Pandemic