Situated on the Left Bank of the River Seine, Musee D’Orsay remains one of my favourite places to visit in Paris. Housed in the former Gare d’Orsay, this art gallery includes works of art dating from 1848 to 1914 and hosts the largest collection of Impressionist & post-Impressionist art including the artists Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Cezanne, Sisley, Edouard Manet & Degas. The building itself offers a suitably grandiose setting for such Masters from the art world to be viewed as you meander through the art galleries.
1. Musee d’Orsay; Free Entry
There are a number of ways that visitors can secure free entry to Musee d’Orsay that includes;
- Children under the age of 18 years.
- 18-25 years old (European Union nationals & non-European legal residents in France).
- The first Sunday of each month, (online booking required).
- There are other possibilities for EU citizens so worth checking the full list eligible for free entry before your visit.
Musee d’Orsay
2. Musee d’Orsay; The Paris Pass
The Musee d’Orsay is included within the Paris Pass that offers entry to over 75+ top Paris attractions. For those looking to visit a number of top tourist settings, including the Louvre, Palace of Versailles & Arc de Triomphe, the Paris Pass can offer great value for money.
3. Musee d’Orsay; Late Entrance Discounts
Look out for a discounted late opening tickets that are available each Thursday evening for the Musee d’Orsay. Visits take place from 6pm with the museum open until 9:45pm, (last entrance 9pm). Worth booking in advance if your are looking to secure early evening as these timed ticketed sessions get booked up fast. Combining a visit to the galleries alongside a spot of dinner can be quite the evening in Paris.
4. Musee d’Orsay; Book Online
Whilst you pay a small surcharge if you book online for at the Musee D’orsay, it does guarantee you entry as well as secure you timed ticket entry into the museum. Simply book a half hour slot that suits you and you’ll avoid the queues that build throughout the day for on-the-day ticketing. Online tickets gain entrance through a separate entrance, simply show your tickets to the staff on the entrance to gain a swifter entrance. Worth noting that staff will not allow you entry before your stipulated time, (we’ve tried), so it does entail an element of planning to your day.
Musee d’Orsay
Guide to Musee d’Orsay; Beat the Queues
1. Musee d’Orsay remains a hugely popular setting for visitors to Paris so it’s extremely difficult to get ahead of the crowds. Nevertheless, to guarantee entry whilst avoiding the bottleneck that quickly builds around the ticket kiosks & bag search areas, we suggest booking tickets online in advance. Whilst there is a small uplift in ticket price, for those looking to fit more into their day, this is well worth the excess. Timed ticketed entry offers you swifter access into the museum but aim to arrive for your stipulated time as early arrivals will be turned away.
2. Musee d’Orsay is closed every Monday so this might go some way to understanding why Tuesdays are notoriously busy days at the Museum. Sundays too are busy days at the setting so worth planning a visit away from these days.
3. Whilst the first Sunday of each month and Thursday evenings offer free or discounted entry, you won’t be surprised to learn these are particularly popular times at the museum. Individual visitors will need to balance cheaper/free entry against a more crowded experience.
4. Worth noting that crowds tend to build throughout the day at Musee d’Orsay so early birds should take advantage of the first timed ticket entry slots of the day. You can arrive early for this first time slot to start queuing outside before the gallery opens for the day. Upon entry head straight to level 5 that houses art work from van Gogh, Monet, Degas, Cezanne where galleries become busy very quickly.
5. If you are planning to visit a number of Paris visitor attractions including Musee d’Orsay, the Louvre & the Arc de Triomphe, consider a Paris Museum Pass that can offer discounted entry.
6. There is now limited descriptive text available relating to individual paintings rather you are directed towards paid audio guides. There remains written summaries for each room and this can suffice to give you an overview before enjoying the art work before you.
7. There are free water fountains within the Musee d’Orsay that you can take advantage of during your visit.
8. Look out for the range of restaurants and cafes available within the museum. Enjoy waiter service alongside the iconic glass faced clock within Cafe Campana or push the boat out at the Musee d’Orsay Restaurant housed in elegant surroundings, (the set menu can offer a more reasonable experience).
Musee d’Orsay
