What material is the Louvre Pyramid made of?

The Louvre Pyramid is made of glass and metal.

Its structure consists of glass panels supported by a metal framework, creating the transparent entrance and skylight designed by I. M. Pei. The pyramid rises in the Cour Napoléon and allows natural light to reach the underground lobby while directing visitors into the museum complex.

The main pyramid was completed in 1989 as part of the Grand Louvre redevelopment. It is built from 603 rhombus-shaped glass panes and 70 triangular panes, according to the Louvre’s confirmed count. The pyramid’s square base measures about 34 metres on each side, and the structure reaches roughly 21.6 metres in height.

The material is sometimes described simply as “glass,” because the transparent surfaces dominate its appearance, but that leaves out the essential metal framework. Marble, concrete, and wood are not the defining construction materials of the pyramid. The nearby Inverted Pyramid also uses glass and metal, but it is a separate underground skylight.