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Musee d'Orsay

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kimmsw
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Editor Pick

Musee d'Orsay

  • August 2, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by rufusni from Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Musee d'Orsay

The Musee d'Orsay is housed in a former train station which had to close in 1937 as the platforms were too short for newer trains. It remained empty and was saved from demolish threats after the outcries over Les Halles destruction. So in 1986 this museum opened dedicated to artwork from between 1848 and 1914.

The building itself is quite beautiful and is a perfect backdrop for the stunning artwork inside. What was previous the platforms area is an incredible light and airy space that soars upwards. The gallery is housed over three floors. The platform area on the ground floor is the late 19th century, middle floor is Art Nouveau and painting from late 9th and the top floor. The Impressionist gallery tends to be the busiest part with painting by many of the great artists of this period. However, the gallery is well laid out, so I never encountered any real sense of it being crowded, probably aided by the blank white backdrop to the artwork.

There is a pleasant terrace area beside the cafés which is nice to get a breathe of fresh air and some pleasant views over the city. There are two cafés - the lower one looks lovely, but I just wanted a drink so I picked the self-service café on the mezzanine level. Both cafés have views through the clock face of the building.

It's worth reading up a bit before you go the Musee D'Orsay but not necessary. The museum has a light and fresh atmosphere and has made good use of the space of the former train station. It's a pleasant place to visit and admire the artwork on display without having to tax the brain too much. There are many famed pieces of artwork here, like Monet's waterlilies or Gauguin's Tahitian artwork, but also many other less famed but spectacular works which are probably more incredible due to their unfamiliarness. You could spend a few hours here and cover a fair amount of the artwork with time to linger over a few favourites.

There is an RER stop right at the museum or there are some metro stops not that far away. The Musee d'Orsay is included in the Paris Museum Pass, otherwise a ticket is 7.50 euros, or concessions 5.50 euros, and under 18 are free. It is closed on Mondays, and it opens from 9.30pm to 6pm the rest of the week with late night opening on Thursday.

From journal Exploring Paris

Editor Pick

Musee d'Orsay

Musee d'Orsay

If you're not a fan of massive crowds and like to visit smaller galleries, this is the perfect museum for you to visit. The museum is located in the 7e arrondissement, near the Eiffel Tower and just a short metro ride from the Louvre.

Regular admission rates for adults is 7.50 euros, and the concession rate is 4.50. The museum is free on the 1st Sunday of every month as well for people under the age of 18 and for disabled people.

When we arrived at the museum in the early afternoon, there was a massive line with well over 150 people in line. Thankfully, we had purchased the Paris Museum Pass so we happily bypassed the line and went straight into the museum with no admission charges.

The interior of the museum is beautifully decorated with a glowing glass roof that may well surpass the Pyramid of the Louvre. It is easy to navigate around the museum for the rooms are marked with numbers and a map is provided free of charge.

There are many works of art here in this museum and many of them are well-known and renowned. Such examples are Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Rodin, and Whistler. There is a nice cafe and terrace on the upper floors if you're feeling hungry.

I enjoyed this museum and preferred its intimate nature than that of the Louvre which was just too massive and over-crowded for me. This is a must-see if you're visiting Paris - whether you're an art lover or not!

From journal Vive La Paris

Editor Pick

Musee d'Orsay

  • February 13, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Mandan Lynn from Smithwick, South Dakota
I had heard that the Musee d'Orsay has a phenomenal collection, and indeed it does. It is housed in an impressive building - you enter into a grand hall filled with sculptures. To the side are rooms filled with paintings. I came across Delacroix's "Chasse aux lions" and couldn't move. It was glorious. It's now on my list of favorite paintings.

It's a bit difficult to navigate - you'll probably end up missing some things if you're not careful. It's also a bit of a maze, especially when you throw the upper floors into the mix. I ended up getting ahead of my travel partner, and even though I stopped in front of "Chasse aux lions" for a good long time, I still had to embark on a major search for him.

The museum drowns you in works by Delacroix, Monet, Manet, Cezanne, and Renoir. It's amazing, and people realize it. Even though my visit was in February, it was really crowded in there. I can't imagine a July visit!

The rooms on the upper floors have more pieces by artists from other countries. There are some rooms devoted to Oriental art, and a room for Van Gogh. Audio guides are available for 5 euros, and I really wish I had taken one.

One hugely disappointing feature of the museum is that the captions are only in French! Every now and then you'll find these large laminated cards in several languages with information on artists, movements, and periods, but not on particular paintings. Paris has many high-quality art museums, but I think it would be a shame to miss the Musee d'Orsay.

Musee d'Orsay
Tuesday-Sunday 9:30-6pm
Thursday 9:30-9:45 pm
Admission: 7,50 euros (5,50 for ages 18-25 and for everyone on Sunday)

From journal My Own Little Paris

Musee d'Orsay

  • August 15, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by lucinda3 from Alpharetta, Georgia
Musee d'Orsay is a museum that is much more manageable in size compared to the Louvre. The museum has a range of sculptures and paintings.

One of the areas I enjoyed most was the pointillist paintings. They had several studies by George Serat for his work, "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte."

Near the museum's cafe, you can access an outdoor terrace. It offers a scenic view of Paris, including the Seine and the Louvre.

From journal Strolling Through Paris

Musee d'Orsay

  • August 11, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Sabina315 from Athens, Ohio
Musee d'Orsay

The Louvre may be Paris' most famous museum, but the Musee d'Orsay holds many of the most famous paintings and is my favorite of the two. This museum picks up where the Louvre left off and focuses on impressionism, especially on the top floor, which includes Monet, Manet, Renoir, Cezanne, Degas, etc. Here you will find Degas' ballerinas and Toulouse-Latrec's posters, as well as sculptures and architecture.

It closes one day a week and lines can be longer than those at the Louvre, so get there early. It can be a little confusing getting from one floor to another. The first time I visited, security evacuated the building, but the whole thing only took about 20 minutes.

From journal Paris in Spring...and Summer

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