From Palace to Museum: The Minister's Apartments
Secret Treasures of the Richelieu Wing
The Private Apartments of the Minister
A completely different atmosphere prevails in the rooms you have just passed through. These interiors have remained unchanged since the Second Empire (1852–1870). At that time, the Louvre was both a seat of power and a museum. In 1861, Napoleon III had just finished building the Richelieu wing. Part of the principal floor was reserved for one of the most important political functions: the Ministry of State. The architecture and interior design are the work of Hector Lefuel.
Even today, this staircase is known as the Escalier du Ministre, or Minister’s Staircase. These intimate, cosy little chambers were known as the petits appartements, where the minister and his family lived. The grands appartements, on the other hand, were for formal receptions.
After the fall of the Second Empire, this wing housed the Ministry of Finance. In 1989, however, the ministry moved to Bercy and the Louvre became entirely and exclusively a museum.
Nota Bene
Despite the expression ‘Napoleon III Apartments’, the emperor never lived there. The reference is to the Napoleon III style of decoration. The imperial family resided in the Palais des Tuileries, which no longer exists.
