Musee d’ Orsay located on the Left bank of the river Seine is one of the famous and most visited museums in the world which was originally a train station. It houses a huge collection of artworks, sculptures, and decorative items which depicts naturalism, romanticism, impressionism, neoclassicism, and expressionism spanning from 1848 to 1914 over its four floors. Works of famous artists such as Van Gogh, Delacroix, Gaugin, Monet, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Manet, etc. includes highlights of the Musee d’ Orsay.
Getting inside the Musee D’ Orsay
Musee d’ Orsay is opened for public from Tuesday to Sunday of a week. No visitors are allowed on Mondays. Also, it is kept closed during the period from May 1 – Dec 25 of every year. Admission to the museum is subject to an entrance fee.
The museum is wheelchair accessible. People who assist disabled visitors are admitted free. At the coat check, wheelchairs are available for rent also. No rental charges are deducted, but visitors have to submit their driver’s license or passport as a security deposit.
The Ground Level
Ground level showcases works from 1848 to early 1870. The right side galleries include works on the evolution of academic schools and historic paintings. Works of artists Ingres, Delacroix, Moreau, etc. are highlighted here.
On the other hand, works on the left side galleries focus on Realism, pre- impressionism and naturalism. Important works by Millet, Manet, Corot, and Courbet can be found in the left side galleries.
Models and objects of Second Empire are also displayed at the ground level.
The Middle Level
Six rooms reserved for Art Nouveau decoration is the main attraction of the middle level. Here artworks including late 19th century paintings, decorative items, and pastels are showcased. Galleries of middle level facing the river Seine features paintings on naturalism and public monument decorations. Works by Klimt and Munch are also displayed.
The Upper Level 2
Major works by Gaugin, Signac, Seurat, and Toulouse-Lautrec are displayed here. This level mainly showcases the emergence of innovative ideas and techniques by neoimpressionists in paintings and pastels. A dedicated gallery for small format painting also highlights the upper level.
The Upper Level 1
This top floor has a collection of some great works from the impressionist and expressionist movements. Highlights include works by famous impressionists Degas, Renoir, Monet, Caillebotte, Sisley, and Pissarro. The sculpture ‘breathtaking Degas dancers’ also adds attraction to the top level.
The Terrace Level
This level displays 19th century sculptures. An area dedicated to the works of French sculptor Auguste Rodin is an unmissable spot in the terrace level.