Located in the 7th arrondissement (1 Legion of Honor), along the banks of the Seine, the museum is a former railway station.  It had a number of other “lives” before being turned into a museum that opened in 1986..  It’s soaring glass and iron roof make for a dramatic entrance, and scattered around the building are little touches reminding you of that former railway station.  Unlike the the Louvre, which is often dark, the d’Orsay is light, open, and inviting.

The Museum is probably best known for its Impressionists, although that collection only makes up about of third of the work you’ll find here.  There are a variety of ways to explore the collections – picking your favorites to see, viewing the art chronologically (lower floor, top, then middle), or just wandering to see what catches your eye and that you want to spend more time with.  I adopted a combination of choosing my must-see pieces and wandering.

Keep reading to learn what you’ll see

• Lower Level:  Sculptures in the main hallway, pre-Impressionist paintings (Eugene Delacroix and Gustave Courbet), and early works by Monet, Renoir, and Manet in the side galleries.  Be sure to look up and around and appreciate the architecture of the building.  This was my favorite floor!
• Middle Level:  The impressive Belle-Époque ballroom takes up much of the floor, and is worth spending time exploring and appreciating the grandeur of its design.  Side galleries are dedicated to Symbolism, Naturalism, and the Nabis School, along with the decorative arts.  On the mezzanine you’ll find sculpture, including Rodin’s Gates of Hell and Balzac.  The Musée d’Orsay restaurant is located on this level, and even if you’re not stopping in for lunch or tea, take a moment to poke your head in and look around.  The enormous windows and sparkling chandeliers are most impressive.
• Top Level:  Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings and sculpture.  Artists represented here include Degas, Renoir and Gauguin.  On this level you’ll also find the Café des Hauteurs. a popular place to stop for a quick bite to eat.  It’s behind one of the large clocks and overlooks the Seine.  The terrace is open, weather permitting, and offers great views.  We stopped in for a simple lunch here, and found it remarkably delicious, with excellent service and reasonable prices.  Not a common experience in Paris, in general, and contrary to many experiences I’ve had when getting food when I’m a “captive audience.” Stopping off for lunch here will allow you a nice resting break before continuing on to view the rest of the galleries.

Even if you are not an art aficionado, you’ll recognize a lot of the pieces and artists you’ll see here.  This is home to Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artist’s Mother (more commonly known as Whistler’s Mother), Starry Night Over the Rhone (Van Gogh), Bal au moulin de la Galette, Montmartre (Renoir), and many others.  You may not recognize the name of the work or the artist, but you’ll like recognize the work itself.

Admission is €8, which covers the permanent collections and exhibitions.  There is an extra charge for special exhibitions.  There are numerous discounted or FREE admissions for students, artists, children, and groups.  The museum is covered by the Paris Museum Pass, which also allows you to proceed directly to the front for admission, and bypass any line.  In the day that I was there, the line wasn’t terribly long, but this advantage still saved me about a half hour of precious time.

The Musée d’Orsay is open from 9:30 am – 6 pm daily, except Monday.  It is open late on Thursday, till 9:45 pm.  There are also extended summer hours to accommodate peak tourist season.

This museum is worth a visit, and I’d recommend putting it on your must-see list!

Photo credits:  personal collection

Post from: Fly Away Cafe