Musée d'Orsay (Art Museum)
Musée d'Orsay, located in a former railroad station, is one of the most popular art museums in Paris
The Musee d'Orsay is a magnificent art museum situated on the left bank of the Seine River running through the heart of Paris. If you are visiting Paris as a tourist, then stopping off at the Musee d'Orsay is an absolute must, in fact if you have decided that you have to visit the world famous Louvre museum then you should most definitely visit the Musee d'Orsay in order to really get the full experience of significant art works within Paris.
The Musee d'Orsay was originally a railway station known as the Gare d'Orsay, completed in 1909 and served as the main terminus for the trains servicing the railways to south western France up until 1939. The building has been used over the years for many different purposes including as a partial mailing room during the Second World War, as a backdrop and set for several films including Franz Kafka's The Trial and as a sort of headquarters for the Renaud-Barrault Theatre Company.
In 1970 plans were put in motion to demolish the entire building and the green light was given to commence demolition, however, the timely intervention of the then minister for cultural affairs, Jacques Duhamel, prevented its demolition in order to make way for a new hotel. Instead the building was added to a list of historic buildings and saved for many generations to come.
In 1974 it was suggested that the building be converted into a museum in order to create a bridge between the Louvre and the modern art museum and so the Musee d'Orsay was born and is today one of the most popular museums in Paris. Extensive work was carried out on both the exterior as well as the interior of the museum however the original railway station look was maintained in terms of the huge, rather cavernous space which provides vast amounts of light, perfect for viewing works of art.
Nearby attractions: Jardin des Tuileries, Le Musée des Arts Decoratifs and Musée de l'Orangerie
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: Yes, however entry is free with a mandatory reservation on the first Sunday of every month.Musée d'Orsay (Art Museum) Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:30 AM – 9:45 PM
- Friday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Address: Esplanade Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, 75007 Paris, France
Phone: 01 40 49 48 14
Official Website: Musée d'Orsay (Art Museum)
Musée d'Orsay (Art Museum) Reviews
Rated out of 5
This is an excellent museum and, in my opinion, a must-see when in Paris. It's a more manageable size when compared to the Louvre. It's well laid out and accessible. I think we spent 3-4 hours here and saw everything else wanted to see. We bought our tickets in advance and had a minimal line. I really enjoy the Impressionists and was very satisfied when I left. I recommend this museum and I will definitely come back again.
Nicole P - 2 weeks ago
A very beautiful museum and it has an amazing shop with a great collection of souvenirs if you want to get one . It’s very easy to navigate things as they have a list of rooms and it is all on a map. The view when you walk into the museum is beautiful. I would recommend going here. My only issue is that I wish there was some seats in some of the bigger display rooms as it can be a little tiring walking around all the time especially if you are doing other stuff in paris on the same day ! There is also a great view of the balloon that they lit up for the Olympics in it
Helen Howells - 2 weeks ago
In my opinion, this is the concept of what a perfect museum should strive to be. Everything was very accessible and easy to follow. The museum followed a chronological experience and took you on a voyage of 70 years of the most important works in art history between 1850 and 1920. The museum’s layout and amenities were perfect and my visit couldn’t have gone better. World class museum that every Paris-goer should plan a morning or afternoon visiting. 5/5
Robin Gadomski - 3 weeks ago
One of the best museum experiences I‘ve ever had. You can spend so much time here and every part of it is interesting. I got in around 3pm and stayed there until it was closed. First thought going there was to see Monet and Van Gogh’s paintings and to experience a big museum but ended up loving every bit of it. There were paintings with mythological figures in them which I love. It was so crowded but it be understandable because it was literally the day after the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Can’t compare it with Louvre though because I couldn’t go 😅 ALSO if you’re from EU countries between the age of 18-26 you can go for free but make sure to check this from their website.
Defne Gürlevik - a week ago
Definitely a must see. Get your timed tickets in advance though, the line can be pretty long. A wonderful selection of a variety of artists, the building itself is a beautiful set piece and definitely a recommendation. Arrive before hand to explore the avenues around it because there's a lot to see.
Neko Ramsay - 3 months ago
Directions
| Metro / RER Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| M12 | Solférino Station | 4 minutes |
| RER-C | Musée d'Orsay | 0 minutes |
How to get to Musée d'Orsay (Art Museum) by Metro / RER
By Metro: Exit Metro Line 12 at Solférino Station and walk north on Rue de Bellechasse to the museum entrance.
By RER C: The exit at Musée d'Orsay Station is located right in front of the entrance to the musum.
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Photo Gallery
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Ornate clock inside the Musée d'Orsay cc licensed photo by Eurapart - stoked to get 100,000 views! -
Photo Credit: Rob Oo - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Pierre Blaché - cc license via Flickr -
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Photo Credit: Pierre Blaché - cc license via Flickr -
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Photo Credit: dalbera - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: dalbera - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: dalbera - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: dalbera - cc license via Flickr
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