The Louvre is the most visited museum in Paris, but it also is probably thenmost famous museum in the world.

So even in late October as the weather cools down the lines can be long and the crowds a challenge to navigate.

Here are a few tips to make the most of this must-see Parisian destination.

1. Buy tickets in advance

The lines to get through security will always be challenging, but online ticket holders get on shorter lines, and then obviously do not need to wait on another line to purchase tickets. Getting advance tickets can easily cut your wait time in half. In the Fall/Winter that can mean saving 30-45+ minutes, but in the Summer it can be much more.

2. “Secret” Entrances

While the Pyramid entry is debated in architectural circles, there is no deniying the long lines. Use one of the side entrances, such as the Carrousel du Louvre on Rue du Rivoli, or Porte des Lions near Tuileries Gardens, or my favorite, Passage Richelieu off of Rue de l'Amiral de Coligny.

French Sculpture Garden at the Passage Richelieu near 4 Rue de l'Amiral de Coligny

This is actually the most stunning entrance, as you pass through large windows looking into the French Sculpture exhibit. Note: this entrance is only for tour groups during the summer months, but during the off season advance ticket holders can even skip the tour group line.

3. Don't Do Too Much!

It is impossible to see everything in one day, or probably even in multiple days. Choose what you want to see, take your time seeing those things gand assume you will be there for at least 4 hours.

On a recent trip, we made sure to see the Winged Statue of Victory and the Mona Lisa. In between we saw one of the world’s best collections of sculpture, paintings and antiquities.

The Mona Lisa is famous not because her eyes follow you, but because her expression changes as you view her from different angles.

Enjoy!