Musée d’Orsay is a world-renowned art museum located in Paris, France. It is the largest museum in France dedicated to the arts, and one of the most visited art museums in the world. The museum is housed in the former Gare d’Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. It holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography. It houses the largest collection of impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces in the world, by painters including Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and Van Gogh.
History
The Musée d’Orsay was originally a railway station, the Gare d’Orsay, which was opened in 1900. The station was used for both passenger and freight service until 1939, when passenger service was stopped due to the outbreak of World War II. The station was then used as a mail depot until 1973, when it was closed due to the high cost of maintaining it. In 1977, the French government decided to turn the building into an art museum, and the Musée d’Orsay was opened in 1986.
Collections
The Musée d’Orsay houses a collection of French art from the period 1848 to 1914. The museum’s collection includes paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography. The museum’s main focus is on the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements, and it holds the world’s largest collection of these works, by painters including Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and Van Gogh.
Highlights
The Musée d’Orsay is home to some of the world’s most famous works of art, including:
- The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh
- Bal du moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet
- The Gleaners by Jean-François Millet
- The Floor Scrapers by Gustave Caillebotte
- The Dance Class by Edgar Degas
Facilities
The Musée d’Orsay offers a range of facilities for visitors, including a bookshop, café, restaurant, and auditorium. The museum also offers guided tours, audio guides, and special events for visitors. The museum is wheelchair-accessible.
Opening Hours
The Musée d’Orsay is open every day except Monday, from 9:30am to 6:00pm. On Thursdays, the museum is open until 9:45pm.
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