When people ask me what’s my favorite art museum in New York, I always answer “MoMA.” It’s all about the lobby. The MoMA lobby is designed to offer a kind of opening ceremony for art appreciation. Under the high ceilings, you can feel the atmosphere of the outside world evaporating from your body. The sweeping ground floor pulls the sight line off into the distance, preparing you to focus on the works ahead. This is a place to pause before setting foot into the numerous other worlds inside the gallery and having spiritual encounters with the art. A place to reset the heart and mind. The lofty stairwell may pose a challenge to museum visitors, but it also triggers the reward system, since the mind assumes that all of this physical exertion must be worth it. This is sort of a trick, it’s true, but the staircase tells us “Keep going, it’s worth it.” And I believe it is worth it, it really is.

We have the Tate Modern to thank for reminding us that art influences every aspect of our lives. Whenever I set foot in the Turbine Hall, I become keenly aware that this great city of London is brimming with artistic possibilities. As a familiar space where anyone can experience contemporary art from all over the world, and as a monumental feat of architecture, Tate Modern is a place where countless treasured memories are made. Visitors can move about the gallery spaces as they please, or they can follow a route devised by our curators. These journeys help us savour the richness of the ideas of the artists. At Tate, we value our strong connection with the people of London. These relationships are always developing and changing, even as we speak. UNIQLO Tate Play is just one of the many ways that people come together here, but there’s a lot more where this came from.

Because of my background studying art history at the École du Louvre, the museum is a familiar place to me. I’ve spent countless hours studying behind these walls.

This was around the time the Carrousel du Louvre was opened underneath the museum. I can still remember how happy I was to have a food court in the same building as the Louvre, where I could grab some french fries or a macaron between classes.

For me, that experience perfectly embodies this unparalleled museum’s spirit of openness. The Louvre may be a top-tier institution, home to some of the world’s finest works of art, but it is also a modern and accessible museum, opening its doors to special exhibitions by contemporary artists (I’m thinking of a performance by French artist JR and a work displayed in the courtyard by Maurizio Cattelan, both of which are seared into my memory). The museum is also open-minded when it comes to activities and retail. I also remember the fashion shows that have been held at the Louvre. They were a special time.

What makes enjoying the collections such a treat is that you can transcend time from one gallery to the next. Care for a trip to Egypt? Or how about the Renaissance? From the centre of Paris, right by the Tuileries Garden and the banks of the Seine, you can make contact with such a vast amount of history, a fact that makes being here all the more special.

I think that everyone who visits must be in awe of all the history. And that history is presented through the fresh lens of 2022. I’m excited to see what’s in store for the Louvre. As the collection ages, it feels like the museum is getting younger all the time.