It's not always easy to find time to visit Paris museums during the week, between work and everyday obligations. The Musée d'Orsay offers a nice alternative with its weekly nocturne every Thursday until 9:45pm, a chance to admire Impressionist masterpieces in a peaceful setting, bathed in the subdued light of the great hall and overlooking the Seine.
The Musée d'Orsay is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, built for the 1900Universal Exhibition by architect Victor Laloux. This monumental building, combining a modern metal structure with a stone façade, is itself a centerpiece of the museum: the large volumes of the hall, the impressive vaulted ceiling, the stained-glass windows and the elegance of the Belle Époque style form a unique backdrop for the collections.
The collections cover a pivotal period in art history, from 1848 to 1914, bringing together paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, graphic arts, photographs, and architecture - with major works by Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh, Cézanne, and many others. The museum doesn't just exhibit: it also values the decorative arts of the XIXᵉ century, the great urban upheavals of Paris under Napoleon III, and the emergence of major artistic developments such as Art Nouveau.
Musée d'Orsay: booking, prices, free admission, tips and current exhibitions
Would you like to visit the Musée d'Orsay, one of Europe's most visited museums and home to the world's largest collection of Impressionist paintings? We'll be happy to give you all the tips and tricks you need, as well as the works to discover, the current exhibitions, and the rates and free admission available, so you can make the most of your visit in the best possible conditions. [Read more]
The collections can be visited by night every Thursday until 9:45pm. As far as prices are concerned, the nocturne is a good idea: instead of 16€, the single price is 12€ online and 10€ on site. Note that the museum recommends reserving your paid visit slot in advance, to avoid unpleasant surprises on arrival, and to guarantee your place. The museum often offers artistic performances, guided tours or concerts based on current programming.
I saw: Jenny Holzer’s luminous exhibition that makes words come alive at the Orsay Museum this fall
Words Take Over the Orsay Museum, Transforming the Space into a Luminous Stage. From October 20, 2026, to February 21, 2027, the exhibition "I Have Seen" by Jenny Holzer invites visitors to explore a dialogue between letters, political texts, and literary writings alongside the museum's iconic collections. Through projections, LED installations, and engravings, the exhibit immerses visitors in a captivating experience where past and present resonate anew, offering a fresh perspective. [Read more]
Exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay: Northern Light – Scandinavian and Dutch Drawings
The Musée d'Orsay unveils "Northern Lights," an exhibition of 19th-century Scandinavian and Dutch drawings running from February 10 to May 10, 2026. Symbolist landscapes and intimate scenes showcase the unique sensibility of the Nordic artistic tradition. [Read more]
Mary Cassatt: Embracing Independence — The Major Impressionist Exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay
Bold and contemporary, Mary Cassatt asserts her distinctive style and her freedom within Impressionism. From October 6, 2026, to January 31, 2027, the Musée d’Orsay celebrates her hundredth birthday with the exhibition "Mary Cassatt: The Choice of Independence," showcasing nearly 80 rare works. [Read more]
A Statue of Liberty, Bartholdi's Dream: immerse yourself in the virtual reality experience at the Musée d'Orsay
Alongside the exhibition dedicated to Auguste Bartholdi and his most famous masterpiece, the Musée d'Orsay offers visitors an immersive virtual reality experience exploring the story of the Statue of Liberty. [Read more]
Auguste Bartholdi: Liberty Enlightening the World — A New Exhibition on the Sculptor at the Musée d’Orsay
From September 15, 2026, to January 31, 2027, the Musée d'Orsay will showcase an exhibition dedicated to the Statue of Liberty and its creator, Auguste Bartholdi, a renowned 19th-century sculptor who collaborated with Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and Gustave Eiffel. [Read more]
What to do with children at the Musée d'Orsay Activities, visits and entertainment for families
The Musée d'Orsay is a not-to-be-missed Parisian museum renowned for its fine Impressionist collections, and was once a railway station. What's on the agenda for the whole family? Let's take a look at what's on with the kids. [Read more]
Renoir Dessinateur: the first exhibition dedicated to Renoir's drawings at the Musée d'Orsay, Paris
And what if Renoir had achieved more than just color? From March 17 to July 5, 2026, the Musée d'Orsay unveils Renoir Dessinateur, the first exhibition entirely devoted to his works on paper. A spotlight on the stroke of a master too long confined to his palette, through some one hundred drawings, sketches, studies and watercolors from around the world. [Read more]
Renoir and love: the retrospective exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay, Paris
When love becomes light, Renoir turns it into art. With the exhibition "Renoir et l'amour" (March 17 - July 19, 2026), the Musée d'Orsay brings together his major masterpieces for a retrospective as modern as it is tender, in collaboration with the National Gallery in London and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. [Read more]
Dates and Opening Time
Next days
Thursday:
open
Location
Musée d'Orsay
62 rue de Lille
75007 Paris 7
Prices
€12
Official website
www.musee-orsay.fr
Musée d'Orsay: booking, prices, free admission, tips and current exhibitions
