Musée de l'Orangerie

About the museum

The building was erected in the mid-19th century in the Tuileries Garden to shelter the garden’s orange trees during the winter. Later it served as a storehouse and, occasionally, as an exhibition venue before being entrusted to the Fine Arts administration in 1921.

On the suggestion of Georges Clemenceau, Claude Monet chose this site for his large ensemble of Water Lilies, on which he had been working since 1914. Monet himself defined the layout of the two oval rooms; he died in December 1926, and the museum opened to the public on May 17, 1927. In 1930 it was attached to the Louvre.

From 1959 to 1963 the state acquired the collection assembled by the art dealer Paul Guillaume and by Domenica, his widow, who had remarried the architect Jean Walter. It includes works by Cézanne, Renoir, Picasso, Matisse, Soutine, Modigliani and Rousseau. Between 2000 and 2006 the museum underwent a major renovation that restored natural light to the Water Lilies and created new basement rooms for the Walter-Guillaume collection. It is now run by the public institution it shares with the Musée d’Orsay.

Highlights

• Claude Monet’s Water Lilies in two oval rooms lit by daylight
• Walter-Guillaume collection with Cézanne, Renoir, Picasso, Matisse and Soutine
• Underground galleries devoted to modern art of the early 20th century
• View of the Tuileries Garden through the glass roof

Permanent exhibitions

• Les Nymphéas de Claude Monet – Monet’s large paintings fill two oval rooms illuminated by natural light.
• Collection Walter-Guillaume – Works by Cézanne, Renoir, Picasso, Matisse, Soutine and others, assembled by the art dealer Paul Guillaume and Domenica Walter.

Founded

1927

Operated by

Établissement public du musée d’Orsay et du musée de l’Orangerie

Visitors per year

approx. 1,029,925

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of the month, for everyone; booking required, except for Carte Blanche members.

The full price is €12.50 online and €11 on site. The museum warns against unofficial offers and recommends buying tickets through its website. The Carte Blanche gives one year of unlimited access to the Musée d’Orsay and the Orangerie.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The entrance for visitors with reduced mobility is to the left of the main entrance, with elevators, ramps and automatic doors. Wheelchairs, folding seats and canes are lent free of charge on request against ID. Accessible toilets on levels -1 and -2. Induction loops at the reception desks. A sensory bag is lent free of charge (noise-cancelling headphones, tinted glasses). Parking near the museum is possible via the vehicle entrance to the Tuileries Garden (Avenue du Général Lemonnier), with proof of disability. Sign language tours are part of the programme.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Family visits for babies aged 0 to 2, for ages 3–5 and 4–6, guided tours for ages 6–12 and family workshops. Audio guide for children from age 6 (€3.50, in French and English) and the investigation app “arrêtez le voleur !” for families from age 8. “Enfant et Cie” ticket for adults accompanying a child.

Getting there & parking

Bicycles and scooters are not allowed in the Tuileries Garden; bike racks are located on Place de la Concorde. Taxi stand at 252 rue de Rivoli.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi (network “Musee_Orangerie_Public”). Café-bookshop inside the museum and a kiosk at the edge of the Tuileries Garden. Bookshop on site and online shop. Cloakroom available.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Up to 200 guests.

Spaces: glass roof with a view of the Eiffel Tower (cocktails, dinners, breakfasts), collection rooms, the Water Lilies room or the auditorium for lectures and seminars. Up to 200 people, every day of the week.

Plan your visit