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The Art Newspaper revealed that the museum attracted a record 8.8 million visitors last year, with many likely to have been drawn in by its big-screen and literary associations with The Da Vinci Code.

The record visitor numbers for last year were up 5% on 2010, statistics which cement the Louvre's reputation as one of the world's premier cultural institutions.

Previous commentators have earmarked the museum as the world's most popular before now. Considering the figures for last year and an average of 8.5 million in the previous couple of years, their argument is well supported.

The precedent-setting antics of the last year came as France in general attracted around 27 million tourists, making it a record year for the nation, too.

What can people see once they've made the trip to the Louvre? Records show the gallery holds 35,000 works of art - suggesting it'd take longer than a morning visit to properly take in.

London also proved popular for tourists though, with the British Museum following in the wake of the Louvre in the global popularity stakes. Some 5.8 million visitors passed through the doors of the museum in the capital last year, with new York's Metropolitan Museum of Art coming third.

But who was visiting the Louvre most? Well, it said that many people flocked through its doors from the US, while emerging countries also made a mark on the total.

It was revealed that many of the people heading to the museum had made significant trips to get there, with plenty travelling long-haul.

'We are glad to note the revived interest in our museum on the part of Americans, as well as an increase in the number of tourists from developing countries,' a statement by Louvre official reads.

Shane Gladstone