Musée d'Orsay: a practical visitor guide

More Musée d'Orsay guides

• Orsay in 2 hoursA 2-hour route through the Musée d'Orsay: Courbet, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas and Van Gogh, with timings, the best order and tips to beat the lines.
• Hours, tickets & free entryMusée d'Orsay opening hours, ticket price, free first Sundays, Thursday late opening and the best time to visit without crowds. Checked in 2026.
• Must-see artThe 12 most important works at the Musée d'Orsay with their level and why they matter: Olympia, Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Courbet and more.
• Orsay with kidsHow to visit the Musée d'Orsay with kids: a 75-minute route, looking games, free entry for under 18s and practical tips for families.

Why Orsay is a must

Orsay occupies a former 1900 railway station on the banks of the Seine and holds the world's largest collection of impressionism and post-impressionism: Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin. It also covers realism (Courbet, Millet), symbolism and art nouveau from 1848 to 1914. The giant glass clock on level 5 is one of the most photographed views in Paris.

How to plan your visit

• Book a time slot online: the museum recommends it, especially for temporary exhibitions and in high season.
• Head straight to level 5 for the impressionists before it fills up, then work down.
• Thursday evening, with a reduced ticket from 6pm, is the quietest time.
• Official audio guides cost between €3.50 and €6; the AnyArt app is an alternative that recognises each work with your camera.
• Check the floor plan at the entrance: collections often change rooms.

Combine it with the rest of Paris

Orsay sits on the Left Bank, across from the Tuileries and about a 15-minute walk from the Louvre via the Pont Royal. They pair well: the Louvre covers art up to the mid-19th century and Orsay picks up where it ends.