Travel bucket list idea:

Orsay Museum

Paris, Ile-de-France, France
https://m.musee-orsay.fr
Bucket List Experience

Man looking at a self portrait of Van Gogh

Credit Shutterstock.com / Bumble Dee

Last updated: 10 March, 2024

This brilliantly converted Belle Epoque train station is now a temple to art from 1848 to 1914, and it’s looking better than ever after a revamp for the museum’s 25th anniversary.

Downstairs, sculptures sit where trains once pulled in, and rooms pit Symbolists against Realists. On the top floor, the crowd-pulling Impressionists and Post-Impressionists include Monet, Manet, Degas, Cézanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh. The mezzanine levels feature Rodin sculptures, early photography and superb Art Nouveau decorative arts. At any one time, around 3,000 artworks are on display. Check out their Wikipedia page for a list of 24 selected collection highlights.

Logistics

Price from: £14

Minimum age: Any

Age suitable: 13+

When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

The nearest metro station is Solférino. It’s a 1-minute walk from there.

Be prepared for crowds, especially in the Impressionist galleries. The museum organises regular guided tours of the collection in English (see website for details). Audio guides are also available to rent (for small fee) at the entrance in multiple languages, with commentaries on over 300 artworks in the permanent collection.

The top-floor Café Campana, given a funky redesign by the Brazilian Campana brothers, is great for a light lunch. The first-floor restaurant serves more formal meals in gilded surroundings, under chandeliers.

When to do it

The museum is open all year round, Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Mondays. It’s open late on Thursday, when crowds are fewer.

Who to go with: organised tours

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Musée d’Orsay Orsay Museum Tour - Semi-Private 8ppl Max Reserved Entry Included!

Paris

Viator

Join us on a 2.5 hour semi-private (8 guest maximum) tour of the Musée d’Orsay. With our expert guides, explore the must-see works hanging in the Musée d’Orsay, Paris’s gallery dedicated to 19th century art and the Impressionists. Jump right into the sculptures and paintings in this world renowned gallery. Consider our Thursday evening option to beat the crowds if possible.

Price €126

Min age 0

Rating 4.95 / 5 [419 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Louvre Museum & Musée d'Orsay (Reserved Entry Included) - Semi-Private 8ppl Max

Paris

Viator

This semi-private (8 guest maximum) Louvre and Musée d’Orsay guided museum tour, allows you to experience Paris’s two major museums all in a half day. And they said it couldn’t be done! Join our guides and spend 5.5 hours immersed in the treasures of these two iconic museums with one of our energetic and enthusiastic guides.

Price €243

Min age 0

Rating 4.93 / 5 [384 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Musée d'Orsay Skip-the-Line Impressionists Guided Tour

Paris

Viator

Don’t miss the world’s greatest collection of Impressionist and Post Impressionist art! The Musée d’Orsay is home to some of the world’s most iconic artworks, created by now legendary artists such as Monet, Manet, Renoir and Van Gogh. Follow your guide on a 1h45' journey through one of the most exciting periods of the history of art, and discover one of the most dazzling museums in Paris. Small groups and electronic headsets allow for a relaxed and intimate visit.

Price €64

Min age 4

Rating 4.72 / 5 [368 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Musée d'Orsay Skip the Line Private and semi Private Tour

Paris

Viator

Enjoy a tour of the Musée d'Orsay with a private guide with skip-the-line access to this popular attraction on the Seine waterfront. Discover Impressionist works by Monet, Degas, Renoir, and so many more as you learn about the rich history surrounding the artworks and their artists. Select a departure time when booking, including a possible Thursday evening slot. *Please note that the museum entrance tickets are not included in the tour price. You can buy them directly on the museum website or we will send you the link once you have booked the tour. Be careful to the dates as the museum entrance tickets are sold only 3 months in advance.

Price €85

Min age 0

Rating 4.15 / 5 [285 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Website >

Musée d’Orsay Orsay Museum - Exclusive Guided Tour (Reserved Entry Included!)

Paris

Viator

Join us on a 2.5 hour exclusive guided tour of the Musée d’Orsay. With our expert guides, explore the must-see works hanging in the Musée d’Orsay, Paris’s gallery dedicated to 19th century art and the Impressionists. Jump right into the sculptures and paintings in this world renowned gallery. Consider our Thursday evening option to beat the crowds if possible.

Price €126

Min age 0

Rating 4.96 / 5 [278 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Website >

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Destination guides

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Paris

Ile-de-France, France

Destination guide

Crammed with iconic buildings, world-class art and a culinary scene steeped in history, Paris is one of the world’s great capitals, overflowing with style, romance, and art de vivre.

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Round-ups

Round-ups that include this experience

32 World’s greatest art museums

Multiple countries

Inspiration

From New York to London, Paris to Berlin, here’s our round-up of the must-see art galleries and museums around the world that should be on everyone’s travel bucket list.

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