Continuing our ongoing series looking at Paris’ colorful art scene, the Musée d’Orsay houses France’s largest Impressionist art collection. If you love art, you absolutely need to schedule a visit to the Musée d’Orsay on your next trip to Paris.

The Orsay’s artistic focus ranges from 1848 to 1914, boasting countless works from blockbuster artists such as Manet, Monet, Degas, Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Toulouse-Lautrec, Rodin, Cézanne, Gauguin and van Gogh.

Naturally, the Orsay is a large museum, and the sheer volume of beautiful pieces of art can be overwhelming (not to mention the crowds). For example, the Musée d’Orsay owns 23 paintings by Claude Monet alone.

Musée d'Orsay - Clock Inside the Old Train Station

Clock Inside the Old Train Station

Hoping to make this an enjoyable undertaking, not a painful one, Rebekah and I established our list of the Top 5 Not-To-Miss Experiences at the Musée d’Orsay:

  1. Pre-Impressionist Paintings – After entering the building and passing through security, you will start your tour on the ground floor. There are numerous galleries, and you can easily make the mistake of spending too much of your precious time on the first floor. Instead, focus on one artist only, Édouard Manet. His work was very influential for the next wave of artist, the Impressionists. In particular, don’t miss Manet’s controversial works of Olympia and Luncheon on the Grass, located in Rooms 14 and 19 on the left side, near the back. You will also see Manet’s works later in the museum, as he was an Impressionist himself. Continue to the top floor via the escalators at the far end of the building, opposite the entrance.
Musée d'Orsay - David and Rebekah at the Mandatory Selfie Stop

David and Rebekah at the Musée d’Orsay

  1. Mandatory Selfie Spot – On the top floor before you enter the gallery spaces, you will see a crowded landing. This is best view in the entire museum. After taking your selfie, continue reading below.
One of Two Glass Clocks at the Musée d'Orsay

One of Two Glass Clocks at the Musée d’Orsay

  1. The Structure – Before leaving the Selfie Spot, take a minute and look at the structure. You will see that the building itself is a wonderful piece of art! You are actually in an old train station, built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900 and later abandoned as train transportation faded. In the 1980s when the museum was being established, a new building was planned to house this impressive collection of art. Then someone brilliantly realized, wait, we already have a historic building in the heart of the city large enough to house the entire collection. This old train station was resurrected, brought back to life as one of Europe’s greatest art museums. The engineer in me loves absolutely loves this space with alternating arches of structure and glass. In addition, giant clocks that once helped passengers keep up with the train schedules now provided wonderful accent pieces to the art surrounding them. Walking into the next room, you are greeted by another giant clock, this one made of glass hanging on the exterior of the building. Watch boats cruise the Seine while people stroll in the Louvre’s gardens beyond the river. In the distance stands the white marble Basilica of Sacré-Cœur on the tallest hill in Paris.
Looking through the Musée d'Orsay's Clock towards the Louvre

Looking through the Musée d’Orsay’s Clock towards the Louvre

  1. Impressionist Galleries – Entering Rooms 29 through 36, you have now emerged yourselves in the chaos of the Musée d’Orsay. By far the most popular rooms, try not to be overwhelmed at the throngs of tourists. They all visit the museum to see the art, just like you. There are too many great pieces contained in these 7 rooms to even begin listing highlights. We suggest to simply take a stroll. Stop at pieces that catch your eye, as they are all great. Focus on a few pieces, and keep moving down the hall. If you need a break, move through all of the galleries to a café at the end of the hall, although it may be equally crowded.
  1. Post-Impressionist Galleries – You made it. You have survived the most intense rooms. But on the intermediate floor, don’t miss the post-impressionist masterpieces of Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh, including Starry Night, Van Gogh’s Bedroom in Arles, and Self-Portrait. These galleries are small, cramped and warm. Don’t use all your energy on the upper level and not have any strength left to swing through these couple of small rooms. Signs point you to the galleries holding the most notable artists.

If you are thoroughly overwhelmed, find the nearest exit.

However, with more time and energy, feel free to explore some of the other areas, such as the Rodin sculpture on the intermediate floor. If you enjoy this small collection of Rodin castings displayed in the Orsay, plan a visit to the nearby Musée Rodin.

Musée d'Orsay - Hercules the Archer by Antoine Bourdelle

Hercules the Archer by Antoine Bourdelle

Photography is not permitted in the art galleries, but is permitted in the non-gallery spaces.

Admission is included in the Paris Pass and the Paris Museum Pass, or can be purchased individually for 11€. Note that there are two lines outside the building, a long line for those with tickets (or passes), and an even longer line to purchase general admission tickets. Bags are not allowed in the museum, but you can store them at the coat check.

The Musée d’Orsay is closed on Mondays. On Tuesdays the Louvre is closed, making the Orsay more crowded.