Musée de l'Orangerie
If you have a special love for impressionist works of art, especially Monet, Musée de l'Orangerie is a must see

There are many wonderful art museums located in and around Paris but if you have a special love for impressionist and post impressionist works then you should most definitely do everything you can to include the Musée de l'Orangerie on your itinerary.
Located in the Place de la Concorde in Paris, the museum houses an impressive collection of works from Monet in the form of no less than eight of the famed Water Lilies collection as well as works by artists such as Paul Cezanne, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Henri Rousseau, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley and many others.
The gallery is located along the banks of the Seine River in the old orangery of the Tuileries Palace which is situated on the Place de la Concorde which is conveniently located near to the Concorde Metro station. The museum building was originally built in 1852 by famed architect Firmin Bourgeois. It is interesting to note that the original intention of the building was to provide shelter to the orange trees of the Tuileries garden. Throughout its history the building was used for many different purposes including housing soldiers as well as hosting various sporting and cultural events, music concerts and even events of patriotism.
The Musée de l'Orangerie is most famously known for being the place where one can view the entire collection of Monet's Water Lilies known as the Nympheas. The story is that Monet had agreed to donate the entire collection of eight Water Lilies panels to the French government and they were to be housed in the Musée de l'Orangerie. The ground floor of the building was in fact redesigned specifically for this purpose but after completion of the renovations to the building Monet could not bear to be parted from these works and it was only after his death in 1926 that they could be displayed in the museum. Such dedication and love of the work should be enough to entice anyone to go see the collection.
Nearby attractions: Jardin des Tuileries, Musée d'Orsay and Musée des Beaux Arts
Facts For Your Visit
Official Website: Musée de l'Orangerie
Fee: Yes, except free on the first Sunday of every month.Regular Hours:
May differ on holidays
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Address: Jardin des Tuileries, 75001 Paris, France
Phone: 01 44 50 43 00
Official Website: Musée de l'Orangerie
Reviews
Rated
Monet’s waterfall Lillie’s exhibit is none like any place else in the world. A meditative oasis in heart of Paris as Monet intended. However with bustling tourists traffic and selfie mongers it’s hard to find a quiet moment.
Vishal Vishal - 13 days ago
My favorite museum in Paris. Yes, it’s smaller but then you have just the right amount of painting to appreciate without feeling rushed. Each painting have decent space around instead of one stacked on top of another competing for attention like in big museums. If you are really into the Water Lillies by Monet, i think best to arrive near closing time just for it. During the day, it’s hard to admire the beauty of the paintings with people standing around, posing and blocking your view.
Bich Pham - 25 days ago
Splendid collection of Impressionist and Post Impressionist masterpieces. All the greatest artist of the period are well represented. Modigliani, Cezanne, Matisse, Monet, Picasso, Seurat, Murillo, Soutine......The Water Lilies by Monet are 2 gigantic sets of 4 pictures each in enormous oval rooms. Unique!
A.G. M. - 1 month ago
An essential stop for fans of Monet and his water lilies paintings. We got tickets in advance for opening time and we were able to enter quickly and, as you can see, it wasn't very crowded. By the time we left, lines and crowds were far longer. The museum has a interesting collection of post-Impressionists that is worth seeing. Note; We had planned to take a break at the cafe, but it is small, with limited seating, and no seats were available when we stopped by.
Linda Suskie - 26 days ago
The exhibition space of Monet is very shocking and I was fascinated by it. The orange cake in the café is great. I hope it has a more canvas bag style can be choose. Students can enter for free with their student ID card.
Sophie (書非) - 1 month ago
Accommodations near Musée de l'Orangerie:
Directions
Metro / RER Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
---|---|---|
M1, M8 or M12 | Concorde Station | 4 minutes |
How to get to Musée de l'Orangerie by Metro / RER
By Metro: Exit Metro Line 1,8 or 12 at Concorde Station and walk south along the eastern edge of Place de la Concorde to the museum entrance on your left at the far end.
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Photo Gallery
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Viewing paintings by Monet inside the Musée de l'Orangeriein cc licensed photo by Allie_Caulfield -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: liakada-web - cc license via Flickr