Musée du Louvre

There's nothing that can replicate your "first moments" in life. In regards to travel and food, it was quite profound experiencing our first buttery, flaky croissant in France; our first perfectly poured pint of Guinness in Dublin; our first showstopping flamenco show in Spain; and my first cup of strong espresso in Italy. We were young twenty-two year olds when we visited the Louvre, our first European art museum. Naturally we gravitate towards "artsy" activities not just for entertainment but for inspiration. So there was no way we could thoroughly appreciate Paris without stopping at the iconic glass pyramid.

The Louvre is the most visited art museum in the world, attracting over 10 million visitors a year. It's the home of the famous Mona Lisa painting, the arm less statue of Venus de Milo and headless Nike of Samothrace sculpture. There is also a nice collection of antiquities from Egypt and from what was once known as the Mesopotamian region, now Iraq, Iran and Persia. The museum first opened in 1793 with 537 paintings and currently possesses over 380,000 art pieces. But it's the famous glass pyramid that the public associates with the Louvre.

Although the museum itself is over 200 years old, the pyramid didn't arrive until 1989. In March 2019, the Musee celebrated the pyramid's 30th birthday with a special mirage/collage that created an optical illusion when viewed at a certain distance.

The Louvre is a must see when in Paris. Just add it to your endless list of "first moments." You won't be disappointed. Well maybe there is one thing. Just a warning: the Mona Lisa is not as big as you think it is.