Orangerie Museum | Learn All About the Finest Art Museum in Paris

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If you are taking a trip to Paris, explore Paris’ finest art museum, the glorious Musee de L’Orangerie or Orangerie Museum, situated at the west corner of the famous Tuileries Gardens. Known for being the most popular and best museum in Paris, it is a fine institution to visit if you wish to see paintings that were crafted back in the impressionist age of art. Here’s a quick guide telling you everything about the Orangerie Museum.

What is the Orangerie Museum?

About Orangerie Museum

Knowledge Graph

  • Official name: Musee National de L'Orangerie des Tuileries
  • Location: Inside Tuileries Gardens, 75001 Paris, France.
  • Date of Opening: 1852
  • Timings: Wednesday to Monday from 9 AM to 6 PM | Closed on Tuesdays
  • Architect: Firmin Bourgeois
  • Architectural Style: Neo-classical style
  • Number of Visitors Per Year: Approximately 700,000
  • Collection Size: Around 144 paintings from the later 19th and early 20th centuries.

Where is the Orangerie Museum Located?

About Orangerie Museum

Address: Jardin Tuileries, 75001 Paris, France

The famous art gallery of impressionism and post-impressionism, Orangerie Museum is situated at a stunning location along the River Seine on the Right bank in the First Arrondissement. It sits in the west corner of the Tuileries Gardens, near the Palace de la Concorde in Paris. The museum is definitely not a hidden gem and can be easily accessed.

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Orangerie Museum Opening Hours

About Orangerie Museum

Why You Should Visit Orangerie Museum?

  • Orangerie Museum is an iconic museum in Paris that houses a large collection of 20th-century art from some famous artists such as Picasso and Cezanne, to name a few.
  • Witness one of Claude Monet’s most famous works of art - the eight Water Lilies murals.
  • Stroll through the museum and embrace the temporary exhibitions by famous artists around the time.
  • ‘The room for peaceful meditation amidst the flowering aquarium’ is a must-visit section.
  • Admire famous works of art such as the L’Origine du Monde & The Artist’s Studio by Gustave Courbet, Starry Night Over the Rhone & the Van Gogh Portrait by Vincent Van Gogh, and many more!

Why is the Orangerie Museum So Famous?

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History of the Orangerie Museum

Orangerie Museum is housed in a 19th-century orangery, which was once used to shelter citrus trees during winters in the Tuileries gardens. Constructed in 1852, this neoclassical-style building of the Orangerie was designed by architect Firmin Bourgeois and decorated by artist Louis Visconti, which was used as a greenhouse and at the same time as a venue for concerts, shows, and other events until the early 1920s.

Eventually, in 1922, the French government decided to transform the old greenhouse into an art gallery that was dedicated to living artists. The famous monumental Water Lilies by Claude Monet was installed and hence a complete renovation of the building took place by architect Camille Lefevre in collaboration with Monet himself.

It opened to the public on May 17, 1927, entitled Musee Claude Monet, which was later renamed Musee National de l’Orangerie des Tuileries. After World War II, the museum was again renovated focusing mainly on French modern art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Who Built the Orangerie Museum?

about Orangerie Museum

Orangerie Museum is a neoclassical-style building that was originally built in 1852 by architect Firmin Bourgeois and decorated by artist Louis Visconti.

It was built as a winter shelter for the orange trees for the Tuileries Gardens. Eventually, the space was used as a venue for banquets, exhibitions, concerts, and shows.

Architecture of the Orangerie Museum

Built by the famous architect Firmin Bourgeois, Orangerie Museum was built out of the glass on the south of the Seine in order to allow light to fall to the trees. The other side of the structure has no windows either to protect the citrus trees during winters.

Louis Visconti, who is known for his renovations of the Louvre, decorated the main entrance on the west and east side of the building. On keen observation, you can observe the columns at the door are triangular pediments that were sculpted by Charles Gallois Poignant. The top of the columns displays cornucopias, plants, and ears of corn that lay emphasis on the building’s agricultural function.

Orangerie Museum Highlights

There are plenty of artworks by famous artists that are housed at the Orangerie Museum. Here are a few that you shouldn’t miss:

About Orangerie Museum

Water Lilies by Claude Monet

The museum was a space for living artists to display their works and Claude Monet’s painting the ‘Water Lilies’ was donated to the Orangerie in 1922. He also played a significant role in contributing to the architectural design of the building with architect Camille Lefevre.

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Paul Guillaume and Jean Walter Collection

Known for being the finest displays in Europe, the collection has 148 outstanding works dating from the 1860s to the 1930s. The artworks display a collection of Impressionist, Modernist works, and African art.

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Picasso’s Artworks

Pablo Picasso has put up some exquisite works of art in the museum. He is a well-known printmaker, sculptor, ceramicist, and printmaker, who is famous for bringing into play the Cubist movement.

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Amedeo Modigliani Artworks

Amedeo was famous for his portraits and nudes in the modern style. It picked up the pace after his death as it was not taken in the right light initially. Few of his artworks put up in the museum include Readhead Girl, Woman with a Velvet Ribbon, Antonia, and The Young Apprentice, to name a few.

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Andre Derain Artworks

Andre was the co-founder of Fauvism. Some of his famous works of art are housed at the Orangerie, such as the Rose in a vase, Le Grand Morin, The Painter’s Niece, Trees and Village, The Road, and many more.

Orangerie Museum Entrances

The main entrances are situated on the east and west side of the building and are decorated by the famous architect Louis Visconti.

Orangerie Museum Tickets & Tours

Tickets to Orangerie Museum
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Combo (Save 5%): Orsay Museum + Orangerie Museum + Centre Pompidou + Quai Branly Tickets
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€26.5
Combo: Orangerie Museum + Hôtel de la Marine Tickets
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Frequently Asked Questions About the Orangerie Museum

Q. What is the Orangerie Museum?

A. Orangerie Museum is a famous art gallery of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings in Paris.

Q. Where is Orangerie Museum?

A. Orangerie Museum is situated in the west corner of the Tuileries Gardens right next to the Place de la Concorde in Paris.

Q. What is the Orangerie Museum famous for?

A. The Orangerie Museum is a famous art museum in Paris that is well-known for its collection of late 19th and early 20th century paintings, a highlight being the monumental Water Lilies cycle by Claude Monet.

Q. Why should I visit the Orangerie Museum?

A. You should visit Orangerie Museum to admire and get mesmerized by some of the famous works of art by well-known artists back in the era of impressionism.

Q. How do I book tickets to visit the Orangerie Museum?

A. You can book your Orangerie Museum tickets online.

Q. How much is a ticket to visit the Orangerie Museum?

A. Your Orangerie Museum tickets start from €12.50.

Q. Who built the Orangerie Museum?

A. The Orangerie Museum was built by architect Firmin Bourgeois. In 1852, Napoleon III built the Orangerie with the purpose of storing the citrus trees of the Tuileries Gardens from the cold.

Q. When did the Orangerie Museum open?

A. The Orangerie Museum was established in the year 1852.

Q. What’s inside the Orangerie Museum?

A. On your visit to Orangerie Museum, you can see the famous Water Lilies by Claude Monet, access permanent and temporary exhibitions, check out Tutelary figures, and more.

Q. What are the Orangerie Museum opening hours?

A. The Orangerie Museum is open every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM. It is closed on Tuesdays, 1 May, 25 December, and the morning of 14 July.

Q. What famous artworks are inside the Orangerie Museum?

A. There are about 156 paintings on permanent display that have been conceived between the end of the 19th century and the early 20th century, like the Water Lilies by Claude Monet and the collection of Domenica Walter.

Q. Why is the Orangerie Museum important?

A. The Orangerie Museum is important as it houses the eight large Water Lilies murals by Claude Monet and also portrays works by Paul Cezanne, Amedeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso, and more.

Q. Is it worth visiting the Orangerie Museum?

A. The museum is located in the heart of Paris and was primarily built in order to display Claude Monet’s magnificent paintings. The paintings of great masters like Picasso, Van Gogh, and others, and the experience of looking at the Lilies are definitely worth it.