In short
Originally built as a greenhouse to protect the orange trees of the royal palace, the Musée de l'Orangerie houses one of the most spectacular pictorial installations of the 20th century. Its curved white walls accommodate the giant water panels painted by the Giverny master, offering an immersive and unforgettable visual experience.
Period: founded in 1927 (building from 1852)
Architecture: neoclassical and modern
Artistic movements: Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism and the School of Paris
Best time: Early morning to enjoy the rooms in silence
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Orangerie Museum opening hours and prices
Plan your entry by checking up-to-date details on museum time slots and ticket.
Opening hours
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Every day except Tuesday 09:00 - 18:00
Last admission 45 minutes before, closes at 11pm on Thursdays
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Ordinary closures
Every Tuesday, May 1st, December 25th, and the morning of July 14th
Prices
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Full price from €11
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Reduced 8,50€
18-25 non-EU
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Free entry Free
Minors under 18, disabled people with companion, EU Under 26s
What to see at the Musée de l'Orangerie
Let yourself be guided through the monumental rooms to discover the secrets of the most sought-after immortal masterpieces.
Water Lilies Most requested
Admire the eight gigantic mural panels arranged in two mirrored oval rooms.
Modigliani's Portrait of Paul Guillaume
Observe the famous painting by the Italian master dedicated to his Parisian gallery owner.
The Bathers by Pablo Picasso
Let yourself be struck by the solid and monumental forms of the figures painted in the 1920s.
The Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume Collection Not to be missed
Explore the lower floor which houses exceptional Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Henri Rousseau le Douanier and Chaim Soutine.
The masterpieces of André Derain and Matisse
Discover the Parisian liveliness of the rooms dedicated to Fauvism, full of still lifes, Provençal landscapes and studies of human figures.
Visit to the Orangerie Museum
Useful information to understand how to manage crowd flow and avoid delays between rooms.
Best moment
At nine in the morning to avoid the afternoon crowds.
Crowding
Intense in the upper rooms, much more fluid at the underground level.
Suitable for children
Yes, the huge colorful rooms really capture the imagination.
What not to miss
Natural light pouring in from the transparent glass ceiling.
Type of experience
Contemplative, relaxing, almost hypnotic and full of inner peace.
What to expect
White spaces, suffused silence and a very intimate path.
How to visit the Musée de l'Orangerie
You enter through the entrance portal located on the western side of the Tuileries Gardens. Begin your tour by admiring the two Water Lilies rooms on the ground floor, then descend the stairs to explore the 20th-century collections.
Need to know
- The building was built to protect the orange trees from the harsh winter weather.
- Claude Monet personally chose the oval shape of the large rooms.
- The panels were donated to the State the day after the armistice.
- During the Second World War the walls suffered artillery damage.
Practical advice
- Book your time slot online well in advance.
- Don't use the flash to avoid damaging the canvas.
- Visit the internal bookshop, it is full of beautiful artistic gadgets.
- Visit in broad daylight to maximize natural light and minimize artificial light.
How to get to the Musée de l'Orangerie
The gallery occupies the southwestern tip of the central Tuileries Gardens.
Lines 1, 8 and 12 stop at Concorde station.
Line C serves the Musée d'Orsay underground station, across the bridge.
Lines 42, 45, 72, 73, 84 and 94 stop nearby.
Walk along the tree-lined avenues of the Tuileries starting from the Louvre.
Tuileries Garden, 75001
Official Transport Paris
- Paris Metro Map
- RER tickets and fares
- Taxis in Paris (numbers and alternatives)
History of the Orangerie Museum
In 1852, architect Firmin Bourgeois completed construction of a large greenhouse on the riverbank, designed to house the orange trees from the royal gardens of the Tuileries Palace during the colder months. The building featured a southern façade entirely made of glass to capture the sun's heat and a simple structure. With the fall of the Empire, the greenhouse was temporarily used as a warehouse, a state banquet hall, and even a space for flower competitions.
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The artistic turning point came at the end of the First World War, when the painter Claude Monet decided to donate to the French nation a monumental series of panels dedicated to the water lilies in his garden, as a symbol of peace and reconciliation. Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau proposed installing this immense work inside the now-empty greenhouse, entrusting the renovation work to architect Camille Lefèvre.
Monet worked closely with the designers until his death, defining every detail of the exhibition space: the oval floor plan to convey the idea of an infinite circle, the bare white walls to avoid distracting the eye, and the natural lighting from above to showcase the true changes in color. The complex was officially inaugurated in 1927, a few months after the death of the great master of Impressionism.
In the 1960s, the museum doubled in importance thanks to the acquisitionof the extraordinary Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume collection, which brought masterpieces of the early twentieth-century avant-garde to Paris. A major restoration completed in 2006 eliminated the old internal structures, restoring the oval rooms to their original natural sunlight, exactly as Monet had dreamed.
Curiosities about the Musée de l'Orangerie
Extraordinary anecdotes and little secrets related to life in the Parisian art greenhouse.
The Sistine Chapel of Impressionism: this famous definition was coined by the writer and intellectual André Masson, struck by the grandeur and spirituality of the oval space.
A solar orientation: the panels are arranged following the cardinal points, making the light of the morning paintings coincide with the east and the sunset scenes with the west.
Anti-aircraft armored walls: During the Second World War, to protect the canvases from aerial bombardment and shell fragments, huge protective barriers of sandbags were built in front of the walls.
The broken agreement: Monet wanted the canvases to be glued directly to the wall without frames, but the architects decided to insert thin protective wooden profiles for reasons of structural stability.
Orangerie Museum Tickets and Tours
Find accommodation near the Musée de l'Orangerie
The Orangerie Museum is located just steps from the Concorde station, making it an excellent option for staying near the Metro.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you observe all the water lilies while sitting in the center of the room?
Yes, the oval architecture and the large central benches were designed specifically to allow you to admire the entire pictorial cycle from a 360-degree angle without having to continually get up.
Does the light inside the oval rooms change depending on the weather outside?
Yes, the glass ceiling lets in real sunlight. This means you'll see the colors of the canvases change dramatically whether you visit the museum on a clear day or in the rain.
Does the Orangerie ticket also include entry to the nearby Musée d'Orsay?
No, they are two separate tickets, but on the website you can find a special combined pass that allows you to visit both museums while saving on the final price.
Can I enter directly with the museum pass (Paris Museum Pass)?
Yes, the museum accepts the city pass, but even in this case you must still book your time slot for free on the official portal to be able to pass through security at the door.
Are there any masterpieces by Vincent Van Gogh in this collection?
No, the lower rooms house works by Cézanne, Renoir, Picasso and Modigliani, while Van Gogh's paintings are all in the Musée d'Orsay, on the opposite bank of the river.
Can you touch the Water Lilies panels to feel the thickness of the color?
No, it's strictly forbidden to approach beyond the black line drawn on the floor. The canvases have no protective glass, and even the slightest skin contact could damage the historic pigments. If you're a Monet enthusiast, check out the tour of his house in Giverny (including travel from Paris).
Is there a real orange garden outside the building?
Today the greenhouse no longer houses plants inside, but large historic pots containing citrus trees are still placed on the outside square and along the avenues of the Tuileries during the warm months.
Is it possible to take close-up videos and movies while walking through the oval rooms?
Yes, personal videos are allowed, but you must move very calmly so as not to disturb the peace and quiet that visitors seek within this sacred space of art.
