Musee d’Orsay, Paris
Musee D’Orsay, Paris
“To show the great diversity of artistic creation in the western world…”
Address: Musee d’Orsay, 63 rue de Lille, 75343 Paris, Cedax 07
Arrondissement: 7th
Hours: 9:30am – 6:00pm Tues through Sun; 9:30am – 9:45pm Thurs; Closed Mon
Tickets: 7.50EUR Full Rate; 5.50EUR Concessions; Free under 18 and members
WWW: Musee d’Orsay
Phone: 33 (01) 40 49 48 14
About Musee d’Orsay
At Musee d’Orsay, the walls themselves are just as unique as the artwork they house. After some back and forth about what to do with the old Orsay railway, it was decided in 1977 that a museum be built on the grounds. Shortly thereafter, in 1978, the station was declared a national monument so great care was taken by the ACT architecture group to keep the integrity of the original building during the transformation into a museum. The museum, which lies in the heart of Paris on the bank of the Seine, across from the Tuileries Gardens, was officially opened to the public on December 9, 1986 after 9 years of construction. It boasts 10 escalators and 11 elevators to cart nearly 3 million visitors each year to its three levels. The interior features a large central nave which goes up through each level. The galleries are to either side of the nave. There is also a bookshop and restaurant, Cafe de Hauteurs, where guests can grab a bite and a book. The large auditorium holds many fascinating events and lectures which are usually centered around pieces in the Musee d’Orsay. The wonderful curators have a lot to offer and hold a hefty collection of books that they penned amongst them about their beloved museum. It is wise to get a guided tour with one of these artwork intellects for your first go round. The collections themselves have a date range of 1848 – 1914. They were taken mainly from three separate places: the Louvre’s works which were after 1820; the Musee de Jeu de Paume which devoted itself to Impressionism in 1947; the National Museum of Modern Art which only kept works of artists born after 1870. The work expands through several genres of art including painting, sculpture, decorative arts, photography, graphic arts and architecture.
Getting to Musee d’Orsay
The Solferino station, named after the Battle of Soferino, is the closest to Musee d’Orsay. It is a stop along Metro Line 12.
Here is a short guide to hotels near Musee d’Orsay, Paris.
Located on 3 rue de Montalembert, the Hotel Monatelmbert was built in 1926. The hotel was named after Charles Monatelmbert, a famous French politician. It under went an 8 million dollar, year long renovation in 1990 and became one of Paris’ finest hotels thereafter. This four star retreat was dubbed one of the first boutique hotels in Paris and recently joined the exclusive Majestic Hotel Group. Four star Hotel Monatelmbert, is a quarter mile from Musee d’Orsay and is nearest the Rue du Bac tube. Rates start at 219EUR per night.
Located at 202 rue de Rivoli, the Hotel Saint James and Albany offers many luxurious amenities such as a private garden, interior court yard, wellness room, pool, team room and beauty bar. The staff pays heed to providing a warm and relaxing atmosphere for all guests which is reflected in the decor. There is a cocktail bar, Bar Saint-James and restaurant Le Noailles, that serve both lunch and dinner. Four star Hotel Saint-James Albany is less than half a mile from the Musee d’Orsay and is near the Tuileries tube station. Rates begin at 166EUR per night.
Located at 66 rue de Bac, Bac Saint-Germain hotel has extremely hospitable and helpful staff members. It offers 24 hour reception service, elevators, a bar, a restaurant and a beautiful patio with a great view. It is gay friendly too. The three star Bac Saint-Germain is a 10 minute walk, less than a mile, to the Musee d’Orsay and is very near to the Solferino tube station. Rates start at 80.77EUR per night.
