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© Musée du Louvre
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History of the Project
In 1995, the Louvre was one of the first museums in the world to establish a presence on the Web, at www.louvre.fr. Ten years later, the museum's Web site has been completely revised, with new interactive features, and a wealth of cultural and practical information.
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A Priority Project for the Louvre
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Between 2002 and 2004, the Louvre's Web site at www.louvre.fr welcomed nearly six million visitors: almost as many as the museum itself. Online visitors fall into a number of categories:- People planning a visit to the museum, in search of practical as well as cultural information
- Internet users in France and around the world visiting the site to find out more about the museum's collections, but without necessarily making a trip to the Louvre itself
- Students and specialists looking for in-depth, current information about the museum's artworks and programs
- Young people and casual "surfers"
Extended visits from people in the final category are a key priority for the Louvre: the new Web site aims to interest them and encourage them to "look around."These audiences—real or virtual, living in the Greater Paris area or further afield, young or old, connoisseur or newcomer—are at the core of the museum's plans for its cultural development and audience outreach. As an increasingly familiar component of everyday life, the Internet is an essential tool for the museum's development.
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A Triple Partnership
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In 2001, the Louvre launched a major new project to create a completely new Web site: a "virtual museum" mirroring the skills and expertise of everyone involved in the life and work of this extraordinary institution. In the earliest stages, a broad consultation effort consisting of multi-disciplinary working groups, was made possible thanks to a strategic study and knowledge partnership offered by Accenture. The site's subsequent development was made possible thanks to Crédit Lyonnais (with a donation of 4 million euros) and the technical partnership of Blue Martini Software (including a donation of its application platform).
The site is being launched in French and English. Thanks to an alliance of donors centered around Dai Nippon Printing, a Japanese version will be launched in a subsequent phase.
The Louvre's Web site was completely redesigned between 2001 and 2004. Its technical construction was outsourced in April 2004, prior to the launch of the new site in the summer of 2005. The Louvre's new Internet Department was created during the same period, reporting to the Direction du Développement Culturel (Cultural Development Sevice): a new addition to the museum's existing publishing activities (print and audiovisual productions.)
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Highlights of the Louvre's New Web Site
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The Louvre's new Web site delivers outstanding access to the museum and its collections.
A wealth of content
Online visitors can view the museum's permanent collection of over 35,000 works and 140,000 drawings. 1,500 featured works are accompanied by expert commentaries accessible in progressive levels of depth and detail, allowing individual visitors to discover, enjoy, and understand key masterpieces from the Louvre's collection.
A complete introduction to the Louvre
New interactive tools allow Internet users to discover the museum "for real." The building's colorful history as a royal palace and public museum is surveyed and explored in depth. Interactive three-dimensional plans allow visitors to "surf" the galleries and gardens. Thematic trails and practical itineraries are tailored to individual interests and criteria. A calendar lists the full range of events, activities and temporary exhibitions. Practical visitor information details entrances, bus and métro routes, opening hours, visitor services, and more.
In-depth cultural and historical analysis
A comprehensive range of online resources explores historical periods, themes, or specific exhibitions. Multimedia features take visitors "up close" to explore the hidden details and background context of selected works. Online magazines take a fresh look at offbeat topics, and go "behind the scenes." Browse the new Web site's resources on your own at home, from the classroom, or with the family.
Tailored visitor information
Dedicated areas for young visitors, professionals, journalists, teachers, or the disabled provide essential, practical information.
Easy navigation and total connectivity
With search engines linked to a range of databases, every page provides cross-referenced links to related topics elsewhere on the site. Visitors can navigate with ease, wherever their curiosity takes them!
A less visible, but equally important aspect of the site is its custom-designed, decentralized content management interface that allows every department in the museum to publish its own information, in liaison with an Internet Service editor.
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Subsequent Developments Online
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Starting in 2005, subsequent developments will deliver:
- more thematic trails and in-depth studies, building a rich collection of multimedia and cultural resources
- more languages, extending the museum's reach to an even wider global public
- a personalized online space for individual visitors
- a dedicated children's space for younger visitors
- specialist research resources (scholarly publications and databases online)
- mobile tools for use in the museum itself
- online ticket sales for faster access to the collections
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