Musée d'Orsay
Museum guide

Musée d'Orsay

Courbet, Manet, the Impressionists, Van Gogh and Rodin, inside a Paris railway station. The Musée d'Orsay, at your own pace.

5 floors70+ rooms200+ piecesabout an hour of stories
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60 minOrsay in an HourVan Gogh's Starry Night, Monet's Poppies, Degas's Little Dancer, Seurat's Circus, Courbet, Manet's Olympia and Carpeaux's Dance, top floor down.11 pieces · 2 floors75 minThe Impressionist FloorLevel 5 in fourteen stops: Monet's Poppies and Rouen, Caillebotte's Floor Scrapers, Degas's dancers and the Little Dancer.14 pieces · 1 floor60 minThe Salon and the RebelsWhat the official Salon loved and what it refused: Cabanel, Courbet, Manet, Monet and Caillebotte.9 pieces · 2 floors50 minVan Gogh to SeuratStarry Night, the Bedroom in Arles, Doctor Gachet and the church at Auvers, then Seurat's Circus and the painters of his circle.10 pieces · 1 floor45 minSculpture: Carpeaux to RodinCarpeaux's Ugolino and Dance and a bronze Liberty in the nave, then Rodin's Age of Bronze, the Gates of Hell and the Thinker.9 pieces · 2 floors50 minArt Nouveau: The Small ThingsA Guimard bench, Gallé's dragonfly cabinet, Lalique's pendant, Gaudí's bench and Majorelle's water-lily bed, on Level 2.11 pieces · 1 floor

Don't miss

Starry Night over the RhôneStarry Night over the RhôneLevel 5
Poppies (The Poppy Field near Argenteuil)Poppies (The Poppy Field near Argenteuil)Level 5
Little Dancer Aged FourteenLittle Dancer Aged FourteenLevel 5
In a Café (L'Absinthe)In a Café (L'Absinthe)Level 5
The Circus (Le Cirque)The Circus (Le Cirque)Level 5
OlympiaOlympiaLevel 0

The building

5Upper levelNeo-Impressionism, Salle 37Vincent van GoghImpressionism, Salle 35Impressionism, Salle 34Temporary hang 33Impressionism, Salle 32Impressionism, Salle 31Impressionism, Salle 30Impressionism: the Moreau-Nélaton collectionSalon de l'horlogeThe tower: Paris in the 19th centuryNeo-Impressionism, Salle 40Neo-Impressionism, Salle 39Cabinet of graphic artsSeurat and SignacSalle 42Pont-Aven: Bernard, Gauguin, SérusierGauguin in TahitiRedon and the NabisThe Chat Noir cabaretCinema, 1895 to 1914
4Pavillon Amont, level 4Pavillon Amont, Level 4: Art Nouveau
3Pavillon Amont, level 3Pavillon Amont, Level 3: Art Nouveau
2Middle levelThe Salle des fêtesFigures of labourHistory paintingPortraits, 1880 to 1914NaturalismPortraits, 1880 to 1914SymbolismArt Nouveau, Salle 62Art Nouveau, Salle 61Art Nouveau, Salle 63Art Nouveau, Salle 64Art Nouveau, Salle 66Art Nouveau, Salle 65Pavillon Amont: modern decorative cyclesSculpture terrace, 1870 to 1914Sculpture terrace, 1880 to 1914The tower: Paris in the 19th centuryThe Rodin terrace: The Gates of HellGalerie des médaillesThe NabisThe Marcie-Rivière collectionBonnard, Denis, Vallotton, VuillardTemporary hang 69bLandscape around 1900Toulouse-Lautrec: shows and backstageThe Meyer and Kaganovitch gifts
0Ground floorTemporary exhibition ICourbet, large formatsTemporary exhibition IIGalerie Seine 1Galerie Seine 2Galerie Lille 1Galerie Lille 21848 and RealismMilletCourbet and RealismThe 1850s: Ingres and DelacroixThe antique taste: Gérôme and the neo-GreeksThe academic nude: Bouguereau and CabanelTemporary hang 8aTemporary hang 8bTemporary hang 8cThe portrait tradition, 1850 to 1880Genre painting, historical and modernWho do these works belong to?Carpeaux sketchesManetBazille, Monet, Renoir: the 1860sThe early CézanneScenes of modern lifeDegasParis, capital of a modern nationThe nave and its sculpture
Photo credits (195)
  • Musée d'Orsay: Johan Mouchet, Unsplash License
  • Courbet, large formats: Gustave Courbet, Public domain
  • Galerie Seine 1: Gustave Courbet, Public domain
  • Galerie Seine 2: Henri Fantin-Latour, Public domain
  • 1848 and Realism: Honoré Daumier, Public domain
  • Millet: Jean-François Millet, Public domain
  • Courbet and Realism: Gustave Courbet, Public domain
  • The 1850s: Ingres and Delacroix: Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Public domain
  • The antique taste: Gérôme and the neo-Greeks: Jean-Léon Gérôme, Public domain
  • The academic nude: Bouguereau and Cabanel: Alexandre Cabanel, Public domain
  • The portrait tradition, 1850 to 1880: John Singer Sargent, Public domain
  • The nave and its sculpture: Langladure, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Art Nouveau, Salle 62: Chatsam, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Art Nouveau, Salle 61: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • Art Nouveau, Salle 63: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • Art Nouveau, Salle 64: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • Art Nouveau, Salle 66: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, CC BY 2.0
  • Art Nouveau, Salle 65: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, CC BY 2.0
  • Sculpture terrace, 1870 to 1914: Sukkoria, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The Rodin terrace: The Gates of Hell: Omar David Sandoval Sida, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • The Nabis: Édouard Vuillard, Public domain
  • The Marcie-Rivière collection: Édouard Vuillard, Public domain
  • Toulouse-Lautrec: shows and backstage: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Public domain
  • The Meyer and Kaganovitch gifts: Georges Seurat, Public domain
  • Impressionism, Salle 35: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Impressionism, Salle 34: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Impressionism, Salle 32: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Impressionism, Salle 31: Gustave Caillebotte, Public domain
  • Impressionism, Salle 30: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Impressionism: the Moreau-Nélaton collection: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Salon de l'horloge: Jebulon, CC0
  • Pont-Aven: Bernard, Gauguin, Sérusier: Paul Sérusier, Public domain
  • Gauguin in Tahiti: Paul Gauguin, Public domain
  • Redon and the Nabis: Odilon Redon, Public domain
  • Starry Night over the Rhône: Vincent van Gogh, Public domain
  • Little Dancer Aged Fourteen: Ibex73, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • In a Café (L'Absinthe): Edgar Degas, Public domain
  • The Circus (Le Cirque): Georges Seurat, Public domain
  • Olympia: Édouard Manet, Public domain
  • Luncheon on the Grass (Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe): Édouard Manet, Public domain
  • The Painter's Studio: Gustave Courbet, Public domain
  • The Bedroom (Van Gogh's room in Arles): Vincent van Gogh, Public domain
  • Portrait of Doctor Paul Gachet: Vincent van Gogh, Public domain
  • Women in the Garden: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • The Church at Auvers: Vincent van Gogh, Public domain
  • The Dance Class: Edgar Degas, Public domain
  • Portrait of a Woman, called Madame Georges Hartmann: Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Public domain
  • Oxen Going to Plough, Morning Effect: Constant Troyon, Public domain
  • Spring Rut: The Battle of the Stags: Gustave Courbet, Public domain
  • The Harvest: Charles-François Daubigny, Public domain
  • Family Reunion: Frédéric Bazille, Public domain
  • The Circle of the Rue Royale: James Tissot, Public domain
  • Portrait of the Marquis and Marchioness of Miramon and Their Children: James Tissot, Public domain
  • William Sisley: Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Public domain
  • The Lady with the Glove: Carolus-Duran, Public domain
  • Arab Chiefs Challenging Each Other to Single Combat (Chefs de tribus arabes se défiant au combat singulier): Théodore Chassériau, Public domain
  • Tamar (Thamar): Alexandre Cabanel, Public domain
  • Slave of Love and Light of the Eyes (Esclave d'amour et Lumière des yeux): Étienne Dinet, Public domain
  • Perseus (Persée): Joseph Blanc, Public domain
  • The Desperate Man (Self-portrait): Gustave Courbet, Public domain
  • The Angelus: Jean-François Millet, Public domain
  • Spring: Jean-François Millet, Public domain
  • Shepherdess with her Flock: Jean-François Millet, Public domain
  • The Spinner, Auvergne Goatherd: Jean-François Millet, Public domain
  • Calling in the Gleaners: Jules Breton, Public domain
  • The Cliff at Étretat after the Storm: Gustave Courbet, Public domain
  • The Trout: Sailko (photograph); Gustave Courbet (painting), CC BY 3.0 (photograph); painting public domain
  • The Source: Gustave Courbet, Public domain
  • The Stormy Sea: Gustave Courbet, Public domain
  • The Tepidarium: Théodore Chassériau, Public domain
  • Meeting of Faust and Marguerite: James Tissot, Public domain
  • Dante and Virgil in Hell: William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Public domain
  • Truth: Jules Lefebvre, Public domain
  • Equality Before Death: William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Public domain
  • The Prince Imperial and his dog Nero: Sailko (photograph); Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (sculpture), CC BY 3.0 (photograph); sculpture public domain
  • Princess Mathilde: Sukkoria (photograph); Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (sculpture), CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Madame Rimsky Korsakov: Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Public domain
  • Le Salon de 1874: Camille Cabaillot-Lassalle, Public domain
  • The Cradle (Le Berceau): Berthe Morisot, Public domain
  • The Fifer (Le Fifre): Édouard Manet, Public domain
  • Lola de Valence: Édouard Manet, Public domain
  • Portrait of Émile Zola: Édouard Manet, Public domain
  • The Reading (La Lecture): Édouard Manet, Public domain
  • Bullfight (Combat de taureaux): Édouard Manet, Public domain
  • Homage to Delacroix (Hommage à Delacroix): Henri Fantin-Latour, Public domain
  • The Butterfly Hunt (Chasse aux papillons): Berthe Morisot, Public domain
  • The Footbridge at Argenteuil (Passerelle d'Argenteuil): Alfred Sisley, Public domain
  • A Modern Olympia (Une moderne Olympia): Paul Cézanne, Public domain
  • Portrait of Achille Emperaire: Paul Cézanne, Public domain
  • Mademoiselle Dihau at the Piano (Mademoiselle Dihau au piano): Edgar Degas, Public domain
  • The House of Dr Gachet at Auvers (La Maison du docteur Gachet à Auvers): Paul Cézanne, Public domain
  • The Balcony (Le Balcon): Édouard Manet, Public domain
  • The Two Sisters (Les Deux Soeurs): James Tissot, Public domain
  • Portrait of Mademoiselle L.L.: James Tissot, Public domain
  • The Bellelli Family (Portrait de famille): Edgar Degas, Public domain
  • Semiramis Building Babylon (Sémiramis construisant Babylone): Edgar Degas, Public domain
  • War Scene in the Middle Ages (Scène de guerre au Moyen Âge): Edgar Degas, Public domain
  • Ugolino and His Sons: MarisaLR, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Liberty Enlightening the World (bronze reduction): Shadowgate from Novara, ITALY, CC BY 2.0
  • The Romans of the Decadence: Thomas Couture, Public domain
  • Woman Bitten by a Serpent: Rama, CC BY-SA 2.0 fr
  • Man from Sudan in Algerian Dress: Janmad, CC BY 3.0
  • Large Stag, plaster (Grand cerf): Chatsam, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Bed from a bedroom suite: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, CC BY 2.0
  • La Poterie, a painted panel for the Bing pavilion: Sukkoria, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Incense (L'Encens): Fernand Khnopff, Public domain
  • La Verrerie, a painted panel for the Bing pavilion: Georges de Feure, Public domain
  • Portrait of Émile Verhaeren: Théo van Rysselberghe, Public domain
  • Cup, By Such a Night (Par une telle nuit): Claire H., CC BY-SA 2.0
  • The Hand with Seaweed and Shells (La Main aux algues et aux coquillages): Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • Shop door from the Coutolleau gunsmith, Angers: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • Pendant and chain: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • Bed, Nénuphars (Waterlilies): Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • The Sea (La Mer), table centrepiece: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • The Grandmother's Kiss (Le Baiser de l'aïeule): Harmonide, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Soup tureen from the Bracquemond-Rousseau service: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • Bench for the Colonia Güell church: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • Washstand fountain (Fontaine-lavabo): Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, CC BY 2.0
  • Doctor Georges Viau in His Dental Office: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • The Age of Bronze: Yair Haklai (photograph of the work by Auguste Rodin), CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Souvenir of a Journey of the Stanley Expedition (English Sudan): Marie-Lan Nguyen, Public domain
  • Spirit Guarding the Secret of the Tomb: Phyrexian, Public domain
  • Portrait of Yvonne Lerolle in Three Aspects: Maurice Denis, Public domain
  • The Terrasse Family (L'Après-midi bourgeoise): Pierre Bonnard, Public domain
  • Dusk (Crépuscule): Pierre Bonnard, Public domain
  • The Public Gardens: Girls Playing: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • The Public Gardens: The Interrogation: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • The Sleep of Madame Vuillard: Édouard Vuillard, Public domain
  • Interior with a Red Hanging: Édouard Vuillard, Public domain
  • Man and Woman (L'Homme et la Femme): Pierre Bonnard, Public domain
  • The Checkered Blouse: Pierre Bonnard, Public domain
  • Panels for La Goulue's Booth at the Foire du Trône: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Public domain
  • The Bed (Le Lit): Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Public domain
  • Woman with Gloves: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • Woman Combing Her Hair: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
  • Alone (Seule): Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Public domain
  • Gabrielle with a Rose (Gabrielle à la rose): Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Public domain
  • Blue Dancers (Danseuses bleues): Edgar Degas, Public domain
  • The Hydrangea (L'Hortensia): Berthe Morisot, Public domain
  • Self-Portrait: Vincent van Gogh, Public domain
  • L'Arlésienne (Madame Ginoux): Vincent van Gogh, Public domain
  • Portrait of Eugène Boch: Vincent van Gogh, Public domain
  • The Siesta (after Millet): Vincent van Gogh, Public domain
  • The Italian Woman (L'Italienne): Vincent van Gogh, Public domain
  • Mademoiselle Gachet in Her Garden at Auvers-sur-Oise: Vincent van Gogh, Public domain
  • The Artist's Garden at Giverny: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • En Norvégienne (The Boat at Giverny): Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Large Nude: Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Public domain
  • Study of a Figure Outdoors: Woman with a Parasol, Facing Left: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Study of a Figure Outdoors: Woman with a Parasol, Facing Right: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Belle-Île Rocks, Wild Coast: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Villas at Bordighera: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Pink Chestnut Trees (The Railway Bridge at Chatou): Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Public domain
  • Storm, Coast of Belle-Île: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Camille Monet on Her Deathbed: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Three Women with Parasols (The Three Graces): Marie Bracquemond, Public domain
  • Ballet Rehearsal on Stage: Edgar Degas, Public domain
  • Young Woman in a Ball Gown: Berthe Morisot, Public domain
  • Frost, Sun Effect (Le Givre): Claude Monet, Public domain
  • The Orchestra at the Opera: Edgar Degas, Public domain
  • The Lady with Fans (Nina de Callias): Édouard Manet, Public domain
  • Roofs in the Snow (View of Rooftops): Gustave Caillebotte, Public domain
  • Boat in the Flood at Port-Marly: Alfred Sisley, Public domain
  • The Seine at Port-Marly, the Wash-House: Camille Pissarro, Public domain
  • The Coal Unloaders (Les Déchargeurs de charbon): Claude Monet, Public domain
  • The Turkeys (Les Dindons): Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Hôtel des Roches Noires, Trouville: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • The Basin at Argenteuil: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Sailing Boats, Regatta at Argenteuil: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Luncheon on the Grass, central panel: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Luncheon on the Grass, left panel: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • The Magpie: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Heavy Sea at Étretat: Claude Monet, Public domain
  • Woman with a Parasol (Femme à l'ombrelle): Paul Signac, Public domain
  • The Quai Saint-Michel and Notre-Dame: Maximilien Luce, Public domain
  • The Cypresses at Cagnes (Les Cyprès à Cagnes): Henri-Edmond Cross, Public domain
  • Avignon. Evening (The Palace of the Popes): Paul Signac (photograph by JackyM59), Public domain
  • Entrance to the Harbour at La Rochelle (Entrée du port de la Rochelle): Paul Signac, Public domain
  • Couple in the Street (Couple dans la rue): Charles Angrand, Public domain
  • The Hair (La Chevelure): Henri-Edmond Cross, Public domain
  • The Pile Drivers (Les Batteurs de pieux): Maximilien Luce, Public domain
  • The Man at the Helm (L'Homme à la barre): Théo van Rysselberghe, Public domain
  • Model from the Back (Poseuse de dos): Georges Seurat, Public domain
  • Study for A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte: Georges Seurat, Public domain
  • The Circus (study): Georges Seurat, Public domain
  • The Little Peasant in Blue (Le Petit Paysan en bleu): Georges Seurat, Public domain
  • Women at the Well, sketch I (Femmes au puits, esquisse I): Paul Signac, Public domain
  • Breton Women with Umbrellas: Émile Bernard, Public domain
  • The Violet Wave: Sailko, Public domain
  • The White Horse: Paul Gauguin, Public domain
  • And the Gold of Their Bodies: Paul Gauguin, Public domain
  • Vairumati: Paul Gauguin, Public domain
  • Trees on a Yellow Background (Domecy dining-room panel): Odilon Redon, Public domain
  • Baroness Robert de Domecy: Odilon Redon, Public domain
  • Madame Odilon Redon: Odilon Redon, Public domain

An independent audio guide by Roamer, not affiliated with or endorsed by the Musée d'Orsay. Museum admission is separate. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, Flickr and Pexels contributors under open licences; credits on each piece.

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