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
A great museum with sculptures, paintings, and crafted models from different times. I appreciated the Impressionism painting exhibition on the top floor the most. Guided tours and audio-guided tours are available. Don’t miss the beautiful view of Paris through the windows!
Arkadiusz Jędrzejewski - a week ago
This experience was amazing. It was very crowded but it was worth seeing. Prepare to spend 2 hours+ if you want to see and enjoy it all. It was a bit difficult to get around with a stroller because elevators were hard to find. However, the staff is very kind and polite and will always help you. I will definitely return.
Kleopatra Papaj - a week ago
Extremely busy but there are lots of seating areas, long wait time despite advanced booking online. Well connected to bus and metro. Very close to Seine river. Fast wifi, clean toilets, free coat check. Fifth floor has iconic impressionist works, and view of the clock. Floors 3-5 have escalators but there are mainly stairs.
A Kim - a week ago
the museum and both restaurants are very good, i had visited twice.
the paintings are exceptional if you are fan of Monet or Van Gogh.
But the entrance maybe a challenge to some people as instructions seems not clear for first time visitors.
If you could, try visit on Thursday night, less crowded and bit easy to check out the paintings.
Jj L - a week ago
I was so looking forward to visiting this museum while in Paris. The space itself is impressive and just a sight to be seen. The amount of pieces they have is impressive. It has way more artworks than I had anticipated, loved the variety of themes and artists, and the distribution of the pieces was nice.
Of course, the Monets and Van Goghs are breathtaking, seeing the Starry Night was one of the highlights of Paris for me.
The space itself could be a bit better kept in certain aspects, but it was an absolute pleasure to visit this museum.
Liener Vivas Borges - a week 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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Accommodations near Musée d'Orsay (Art Museum):
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: Eric@focus - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Pierre Blaché - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: marsupilami92 - 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 -
Photo Credit: dalbera - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: dalbera - cc license via Flickr
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