If you only have time for one art museum in Paris, make it the Musée d’Orsay. Housed in a Beaux-Arts train station, the galleries are stunning both architecturally and artistically. The Orsay is home to the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist pieces in the world — Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh. There’s something so special about seeing these works in real life.
Location
Address: Esplanade Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, 75007 Paris, France
The museum is located in the 7th arrondissement in the St. Germain neighborhood. The closest metro stop is Solférino station (Line 12).
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Cost: €16
A Brief History
The site of today’s museum started out as the Palais d’Orsay, a government building constructed in 1810. It burned down during the Paris Commune of 1871, and in its place came the Gare d’Orsay, a grand train station completed in time for the 1900 World’s Fair. By the early 1970s, the station had fallen into disuse and was set for demolition. But thanks to strong public and political support, plans took shape to transform the space into a museum that could showcase the overflow of 19th-century art at the Louvre. After a major renovation, the Musée d’Orsay opened in 1986, dedicated to masterpieces from roughly 1848 to 1914.
Works of Note
I’m an art enthusiast but I am definitely NOT a connoisseur with any serious knowledge. Here’s just a sample of some favorite famous pieces in the museum, letting the pictures speak for themselves!
Tips
- The museum is packed year-round and you should always book your tickets in advance. We booked two weeks ahead for Easter Sunday and there was only one time slot left for us to pick. We were thankful on the day when we saw an endless monster line of people with no reservations!
- If you want the smallest crowds possible, try visiting March to November and book a time slot either morning when the museum opens or late afternoons.
- Admission is FREE on the first Sunday of the month but you definitely have to book in advance.
- Disabled visitors and a companion of their choice enjoy FREE admission to the Musée d’Orsay, on presentation of valid justification.
- Make sure to set aside at least 2 hours to enjoy the museum.
Staying in Paris?
Disclosure: My recommended accommodations contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.
For our Paris trip, we stayed 2 nights in the cheapest AirBnB we could find in Le Marais, then 1 night at Korner Montmartre, a modest but clean and modern hotel in an amazing location in Montmartre. If I were staying in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, I’d try Hôtel Le Regent Paris or Hotel La Folie.