Musee d'Orsay – How to build a perfect museum

The Musée d'Orsay (some also call it Orsay) is my favorite museum among all the famous museums in Paris, such as The Louvre Museum וCenter Pompidou. Why? Because unlike the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay is an easy-to-digest museum that can be seen in its entirety in two to three hours. Also, unlike the Pompidou Center, I connect much more with the art on display there (especially the Pre-Impressionist works).

So after I explained to you why I love this museum so much, let me tell you its story and, of course, not forget to equip you with all the information you need for your visit.

A train once passed through here or the history of the Orsay Museum

At the end of the 19th century, when it was decided that in 1900 it would host Paris The World's Fair began with extensive infrastructure work aimed at enabling the City of Lights to host millions of visitors. Those living today do not always understand how important the World's Fairs, which were each held in a different European capital, were to the French. It is enough to say that thanks to those exhibitions, Paris received some of its greatest symbols, starting fromBatu Mosh (created in honor of the 1867 exhibition) and Eiffel Tower (Created in honor of the 1889 exhibition).

So what did the French do to make the 1900 exhibition even more amazing than the previous ones? They invested in infrastructure. And so thanks to this exhibition we have the Paris Metro (Line 1 was created especially for this exhibition), the Alexandre III Bridge and the two museums Grands Palais and Petit Palais. However, all this was not enough and it was decided to build another train station in order to relieve the pressure from the other train stations that were expected to receive millions of visitors. This station was built on the left bank, right opposite theTuileries Gardens.

The train station was called Gare d'Orleans and its architecture is a tribute to the glory days of trains. An impressive passenger hall, a restaurant in Belle Époque style, a luxurious hotel and a giant clock that made sure you didn't miss the train and of course statues on the front of the building (similar to those of Gare du NordIt was launched on the festive date of July 14, 1900 (Bastille Day) and was so beautiful that the painter Édouard Detaille suggested instead that it be turned into a gallery or museum. Édouard was ahead of his time, as it took more than 80 years for his vision to come to fruition.

Until the end of the 30s, the train station continued to serve those coming fromLoire valley But when Montparnasse station began to do so, it was decided to convert the station into a suburban train station. However, later the noise of the trains died down completely and the place ceased to function as a train station. At first it was used as a film set (Kafka's The Trial was filmed here). Later, Jean-Louis Barrault's theater moved here, after the aforementioned was expelled from the Odeon theater due to his support for the student uprising.

During the 70s, the building was in danger of demolition, but fortunately the government decided to register it as a historic building and turn it into a museum. The reason for this was that the French Ministry of Culture felt that the 19th century did not really have a home for art in Paris, since the Louvre dealt with art that ended in the early 19th century, while the Pompidou Museum dealt with art from the 20th century. After it was decided that the new museum would deal with art created between 1848 and 1914, three architects (Pierre Colbouc, Renaud Bardon, and Jean-Paul Philippon) were chosen, and they began to transform the train station into a 5-story museum.

In 1986, the museum opened to the general public and immediately became a success story, with approximately 11.5 million people visiting it in the three years following its opening. Since then, it has attracted Orsay Museum Millions of visitors from all over the world, and with great reason in my opinion. In the next chapter we will understand why.

What should I not miss?

As mentioned, the Musée d'Orsay consists of 5 floors, each of which tells the story of the 19th century. True, chronologically, you can also find works of art created up to 1914, but this is not wrong in my opinion, since the spirit of the 19th century only truly ended with the outbreak of World War I. Naturally, you will find quite a few works of art in the museum, and since it is very difficult to give each one the attention it deserves, it is necessary to decide in advance what to focus on and what not. The museum is arranged in such a way that each floor deals with a different period, with the lower floor dealing with the earlier works, while the upper floors deal with the later works.

Of course, it would be presumptuous of me to tell you what to see and what to skip, as taste is a very personal thing. However, if you want to know what my favorite works of art are, you are welcome to continue reading.

Ground floor

On this floor you will find works of art created between 1848-1870 and personally this is my favorite floor of all. On the right side you will find paintings by one of my favorite painters, Ingres, along with Delacroix. However, the most exciting works in my opinion are on the left side of the hall. There you will find the Gustave Courbet (Gustave Courbet) The ruthless realist whose painting “The Painter’s Workshop” (1855) I really like.

Add to that Millet's moving Angelus prayer with its precise description of the sun setting in the field.

Then we will return to Gustave Courbet's “The Origin of the World” to cluck our tongues and giggle.

And if we talked about Courbet’s “Origin of the World,” then we can’t forget about the painting that symbolizes the end that awaits us all. I’m talking, of course, about the moving and realistic painting “A Funeral at Ornans.”

And finally, you can't give up painting."Lunch on the lawn", of Edouard Mane, which caused a huge scandal when it was presented to the general public in 1863.

And these are just a few of the hundreds of wonderful works hidden there. And we haven't even talked about the sculptures that can be found on the same floor as well. Here's one of my favorites.

And wait a minute, we're only on the bottom floor. So it's time to go upstairs.

The second (or middle) floor

This floor is more dedicated to 19th century interior design (with an emphasis on Art Nouveau) along with various symbolist painters including some non-French painters such as Klimt and Munch. Here is an example of one of Klimt's paintings that I really liked.

The upper floors

Here you will find the most famous works in the museum and with them swarms of tourists. Fortunately for me, these are the works that interest me the least, so beyond a brief courtesy visit I usually don't go there. However, this doesn't mean you should give up on these floors where you will find many works by Toulouse-Lautrec, Monet, Van Gogh and many other Impressionist painters.

In the eyes of my friend Yoel Tamanlis, this is the most important floor of the museum and should not be missed. If you disagree with this statement, you are welcome to read his article Musée d'Orsay: The Fifth Floor – The Floor of Dreams And chances are you'll be convinced to start your visit to the museum on this floor 🙂

The restaurant of the Musée d'Orsay

Although it is a “practical” place, you should not miss the restaurant, which is simply a masterpiece from the Belle Epoque period. You will also find, among other things, pictures that are allegorical of different periods in time and, of course, a wonderful view of the Seine.

Tickets to the Musée d'Orsay

As with any popular museum, it is highly recommended to buy tickets for the Musée d'Orsay in advance to save you a lot of time standing at the box office.

How much does a ticket to the Orsay Museum cost?

As of March 2023, a ticket costs 17 euros. Children under 18 enter for free.

Where is it recommended to buy tickets?

Here are some options for purchasing tickets in advance:

• Orsay Museum Skip-the-Line Ticket
• Guided tour of the Orsay Museum
• Combined ticket to the Orsay Museum and the Orangerie
• Combined ticket to the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée Rodin
• Combined ticket to the Musée d'Orsay and the Louvre Museum

How do we get there?

The most convenient way is by RER C which stops at the Musée d'Orsay station. Another good option is line 12 which stops at the Solferino station which is not far from the museum.

Opening Hours

• Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 09: 30-18: 00
• Fifth: 09:30-21:30 (it is recommended to arrive in the evening as there are fewer visitors then).
• other: Closed

And lastly, don't miss the "secret" museum across the street.

Not many people know this, but right across from the Musée d'Orsay is another charming little museum. The name of the museum is the Musée des Legions d'Honneur, and very few of those who have visited the Orsay also visit it, which is a shame. In addition to being a free museum, it is a museum with a unique and fascinating story, which you can read about in the article. The French Legion of Honor Museum in Paris – The Stories You Didn't Know.

Want to live not far from the Musée d'Orsay?

The Orsay Museum is located in7st arrondissement of Paris, one of the most prestigious districts of the City of Lights. This district is less popular with Israelis who prefer the Latin Quarter or theMarais And it's a shame because it has some advantages. First, if you can live not far from the Musée d'Orsay, you'll be living not far from the Seine, which is great because you can walk from the left bank to the right bank. Add to that the 7th arrondissement is also the safest arrondissement in Paris because of the number of government offices located there. And finally, if you feel like going toEiffel Tower Or see it from your hotel window, then you'll be happy to know that in the 7th arrondissement this is definitely possible.

So if you decide to live in this area, you are welcome to find recommended hotels and vacation apartments at these two links:

• Apartments for rent in Paris
• Hotels in Paris