Located in the Tuileries Garden near Place de la Concorde, Musée de l’Orangerie is best known for Monet’s Water Lilies, displayed across two oval rooms designed around the paintings. The museum also houses the Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume collec...
Also Known As
Orangerie Museum
Founded On
1852
Founded By
Firmin Bourgeois, Ludovico Visconti
Did you know?
The Orangerie building was constructed in 1852 to shelter the orange trees of the Tuileries Garden during winter.
Monet offered the Water Lilies cycle to the French State after the Armistice of November 11, 1918, as a symbol of peace.
The Water Lilies rooms opened to the public in 1927, a few months after Monet’s death.


Your visit will begin with the iconic Claude Monet's Nymphéas (Water Lilies) series. Housed in two specially designed, vast oval rooms, these monumental paintings completely encircle you. Experience the immersive effect as you're surrounded by Monet's masterful depictions of light and water, a tranquil, continuous panorama that evolves with the natural light filtering through the skylights.
Take a closer look at the Water Lilies Paintings
After the Water Lilies, explore the impressive collection of early 20th-century art collected by art dealers Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume. These galleries showcase works by celebrated artists, where you can view art by Renoir including portraits and nudes, landscapes and still life portraits by Cézanne. The collection also features distinct portraits by Modigliani, with a comprehensive look at the diverse artistic movements that reshaped painting.







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.
The Orangerie Museum is a famous art museum in Paris. It 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.
Architect Firmin Bourgeois built the Orangerie Museum. In 1852, Napoleon III built the Orangerie to store the citrus trees of the Tuileries Gardens from the cold.
The Orangerie Museum was established in the year 1852.
The Orangerie Museum is open every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9am to 6pm. It is closed on Tuesdays, May 1, December 25, and the morning of July 14.
You can purchase tickets for the Orangerie Museum online. You can select the one most suitable for your needs.