Under Napoleon, what was the Louvre museum renamed?

Under Napoleon, the Louvre museum was renamed the Musée Napoléon.

The name was adopted in July 1803, during Napoleon Bonaparte’s rule, after Vivant Denon became the museum’s first director in 1802. It reflected both the emperor’s patronage and the institution’s rapidly expanding prestige.

Napoleon’s military victories brought thousands of artworks from across Europe, especially Italy, into French collections. The Louvre became famous for displaying masterpieces taken or transferred under treaties and military pressure, turning Paris into a major artistic capital.

After Napoleon’s defeat and abdication, the museum reverted to the Louvre name. Many works acquired during the Napoleonic campaigns were returned to their former owners, although some famous pieces remained in France. “Musée Napoléon III” is a different, later name associated with a section created under Napoleon III.