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.Some attractions may have reduced hours or be closed due to COVID-19. Please verify opening hours with the attraction before visiting.
Open Now
Regular Hours:
- Monday: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
- 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
Category: Museums
Address:
Place de la Concorde
Jardin des Tuileries
75001 Paris
France
Phone: +33 1 44 77 80 07
Reviews
Jeffrey C. Jun-29-2019
What a wonderfully relaxing venue filled with some of the most significant works of art ever produced! The lines can be long so I suggest you purchase the... Read More
Denise W. Sep-20-2019
This museum only has 4 paintings by Claude Monet. The most famous painting of his is the Nympheas/Water Lilly Pads. It costs 6 euros to visit this museum.... Read More
Adam H. Oct-02-2019
Cool little museum, and very easy to scratch off your list. I'm not a huge museum guy so if you are, stop reading. I'm sure I will offend you with my... Read More
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.
Map & Instant Route Finder
Click&Go Map and Route Finder with public transit, walking, driving or cycling directions. Get up-to-the-minute transit times for your route.
Photo Gallery
-
Viewing paintings by Monet inside the Musée de l'Orangeriein cc licensed photo by Allie_Caulfield Photo Credit: Yelp Photo Credit: Yelp Photo Credit: Yelp -
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