annamo

I'm looking for an easy solution to making it easier for my 11 year old to enjoy the art museums in Paris-I'm thinking about the Louvre. My husband and I are excited and can't wait to visit there, but I fear that our excitement will not be enough.
Are there guides at the Louvre or can someone suggest an idea that might make a museum visit more interesting to an 11 year old. I thought that I had seen posts for guides here in the past weeks. It's been difficult lately getting onto this site. Any advice would be very helpful.
Thank you,
Anna

LoisL

I believe there are tours, but I think it would be a more positive experience for your daughter if you let her go at her own pace, and a tour would not allow for that. Perhaps you can discuss the various exhibits and see what appeals to her most, and let her select where you'll start. A suggestion on how to handle the experience might be to have you and your husband take turns exploring on your own, and the other of you go with her at her pace, and then switch, if you find you'd like to spend more time than her attention will allow for. Make it a positive experience and she'll be open for future visits. That was my approach years ago, when my daughters were younger.

artlover

I'm an art educator, so I could write a book on this (as a matter of fact, I have, but am waiting to hear from two publishers...)

I have a lots of ideas, but will keep it simple. I recommend you go to a bookstore or library with her and go to the art section and let her see what art she likes. Also, I think Rick Steves' Mona Winks would be a good resource for both you and her.

The Louvre is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most overwhelming museums in the world. I'd start someplace smaller and less overwhelming--d'Orsay or Pompidou would be terrific, as well as Rodin. All three are wonderful and the settings themselves are fabulous. Then maybe move on to the Louve, but try to focus on the areas of art she likes the most.

We took our daughter to Paris for the first time when she was 13 and I wish I had a picture of the expression on her face the first time we crossed the Seine. We both had sketchbooks and did lots of sketching in the museums while my husband took pictures. This experience has been so valuable for her--she's taken art appreciation classes in college and gets so much out of them after having seem so much of the art in France and Italy.

I'm sure you'll have a great time and your daughter will gain the kind of exposure to art that will enable her to enjoy it all of her life.

mclaurie

I think there are a series of children's books written about famous museums. They may be geared for younger than 11, but still worth checking out. I also think there is a children's series on famous artists.

I agree with Artlover, start at one of the smaller museums. I like the Picasso as well as the Rodin. Both are in wonderful "homes".

I think the Louvre is overwhelming for most adults. I would try to focus on just a few areas there. Reading ahead about the history of the building itself might be a good idea. Try to go first thing in the morning when everyone is fresh. Plan something later in the day that she can look forward to if she starts to get bored.

Iregeo

Hi. For some children, the individual taped guides that you rent at the museum entrance seems to keep them interested. They hit all the highlights and major works, and can go at their own pace. My 11 yr. old son did o.k. with them in Italy, but I saw another family with 4 kids at the Borghese in Rome who were all mesmerized, and perfectly quiet, while taking in the museum's treasures. I was so jealous! Have a great trip!

McBetsy

I am a teacher of 5th graders and you might be surprised at how interested they can be in art with preparation. Follow the suggestions of Artlover and get some books to preview the paintings and art you'll see. Also the Louvre tour in Mona Winks as suggested earlier is terrific. It is especially good for a museum like the Louvre as it makes it quite manageable.
When I teach art to my students (using large copies of paintings), they are some of the most involved discussions in my class. Kids that don't normally contribute light up. Our discussions center on "how" to view a painting. Where the artist wants you to enter the painting, why the color choice, stuff like that.
Finally, If you can time your visit for early morning or on one of the late evenings do it. As you can imagine the Louvre is packed in certain parts, (amazingly empty in others)and it can be hot. Less crowds will obviously make for a more enjoyable visit.

elaine

My then 10-year old nephew loved the Louvre, and he's not a particularly aesthetic-minded kid. He listened avidly to the acoustiguide, and sat right on the floor in front of some of the very large historical paintings, such as the one of Napoleon's coronation.
He also liked climbing to the top of the towers of Notre Dame to see the gargoyles, and quite a discussion was had at Place de la Concorde, which was once the site of the guillotine during the Fr revolution.

Every kid is different of course,but you know him so well I'm sure you'll think of other ways to spark his interest.
Try doing a search at Amazon.com for a book topic like "children Paris" or "kids Paris" or "family Paris."
There are definitely guide books that include good stuff for kids.

kcw214

When I was a kid, my parents did the abbreviated version of the Louvre -- Venus de Milo, Winged Victory and Mona Lisa. We saw a lot on the way. (since they reorganized the Louvre, this only covers 2 wings, but IMO they are the most interesting wings anyway). You might get some fun reading books having to do with art, and get your child to read them. I would recommend E.L. Konigsburg's "The Second Mrs. Giaconda", which is an age-appropriate historical fiction book about the painting of the Mona Lisa (Konigsburg also wrote the wonderful "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" about two children who run away from home to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art).

RufusTFirefly

Our son liked the Picasso museum. When we were there, it was arranged to show how the artist's works changed with time, and our son found it fascinating.

djkbooks

My guess would be probably not. As my kid told me "Well, Mom, I'm sure I'd appreciate this more when I'm older, but right now I'm bloody BORED and can't wait to do something else!"

I think it's best to promise that "after the Louvre", we'll do something you'll just love.

Clea

I took my 12 year old last summer, what I had her do was select a book from the library on the places we were visiting and let her pick out 3 to 4 things she wanted to see and do based on what she had read. Wow, the response was incredible, she new all about Venus de Milo and was really interest in the Egyptian artfacts showing at the time. I actually learned a thing or two from her. Afterwards, showing an interest in the paintings myself seemed to grasp her attention and gave us stuff to talk about while sitting at one of the sidewalk cafes!

annamo

I thank everyone for these wonderful suggestions. We've been studying some of the possible paintings we should see at the Louvre together. I started at their website and have gone from there to other sources on the internet. I decided to go for a live guide and made the choice of one highly recommended here. He is an artist and I think it will be especially fun to talk about art with someone that creates art. The audio guides did sound like a good idea, but I've read that when it is busy they can run out of them in English. Since we also want to do more than just the Louvre the use of a living guide seemed like a great idea. I hadn't thought of it until I read of the posts here. So again, I have the posters here at Fodor's to thank. I don't have all that much time for planning so the internet has become a wonderful source of quick information. Other than the Mona Lisa and Venus, does anyone have any favorite works at the Louvre that they think we should have our guide take us to see. We are going to just do the highlight of the museum since the museum is so very big, that will be all there is time for I would expect. Still if there is a favorite work there that really made an impression, I would love to know.
Many thanks.
Anna

jsmith

I'd suggest the Marley Horses in the Richelieu Wing and Michelangelo's Slaves in the Denon Wing.

elaine

Not everyone would agree, but I say don't miss the George de la Tour paintings. They are realistic, with wonderful light effects imitating candle light. I always find myself drawn in.

I'd also say the Raft of the Medusa
by Gericault.
For the compelling story
http://www.pogues.com/Misc/Medusa.html

artlover

My favorites were the Rembrant room, especially his Self Portrait and the Delacroix room. One of my daughter's favorite paintings (when she was 13) was Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People (and she's still a feminist).

I also agree that the Picasso Museum would be an excellent option as well.

RachelG

My boys like the taped guides and we've never had trouble getting one in English, but we go early. Also, they like getting lunch in the museum and also a snack (dessert) in the fancy museum restaurant. Try to figure out what interests her then go with a theme in mind.
My boys "collect" St. Sebastian paintings. He is the guy with all the arrows in him. The museum in our hometown happens to have one of the best St. Sebastians in my boys opinion (with best defined as most arrows and blood). They compare and look for St. Sebastians at every museum we go to--points are given for number of arrows, amount of blood, and location of arrows--Less credit for arrows in extremities, etc. They have been doing this since they were small, maybe 5 and 10 and still do now at ages 12 and 17.
Also when they were younger, they liked to tell me the Bible stories associated with the paintings. The youngest still does this somewhat. A favorite is John the Baptist's head on a platter!

GreenDragon

It would probably mean a lot more to her if she got interested in one or more different artists themselves. For instance, when I was about 10, my mom took me to a museum that had several impressionist paintings in it... I had just done a report on Claude Monet, so I was very eager to see his works in person. Knowing some of the background of the artist makes it a richer experience, too. I believe HBO has several 'artist' specials in half-hour segments, geared for kids...

kismetchimera

I took my grandaughter to Paris 2 years ago, when she was 9 years old. She truly enjoyed the Museums. We visited the Louvre, she quite enjoyed it and also we went to the Museum D'Orsay. i must also add that she is a little artist herself and she has a special eyes for beauties.

Elaine ,I loved the Raft of Medusa buy Giracault.. such a sad and true story.