Adventures in the Louvre

Reviews

"One of The Economist’s Best Books of the Year (2025)"

"[Sciolino] has volunteered herself as a chatty, amiable tour guide… The author has a journalist’s knack for posing a good question." — The Economist

"[An] entertaining deep dive into the history—and dusty cellars—of the revered Paris institution…" — Christian House, The Times

"[Sciolino] manages to humanize a museum that is usually described as elitist, overwhelming, unwelcoming." — Stephen Heyman, Vogue

"Delightful." — Scott Simon, NPR

"Elaine Sciolino writes with the curiosity of a journalist, the humanity of a storyteller, and the joyful disrespect of an American… With this enchanting book, we will find our way in a grand museum whose meanderings reflect the strange and glorious history of France." — Gérard Araud, former French ambassador to the United States and president of the Société des Amis du Louvre

"I have read many books about museums, but Elaine Sciolino's stands out. This is essential reading for anyone visiting the Louvre—for those who already know it inside out and for those who have never been... A marvel of observation and insight." — Xavier Salomon, chief curator of the Frick Collection

"Adventures in the Louvre is much more than a guide for art buffs. Through the prism of the museum’s transformations over the centuries, Sciolino also tracks France’s changing self-image and place in the world, showing how successive French regimes have leveraged the Louvre to support their visions for the country" — Foreign Policy