Stand under the great clock face overlooking the Seine, walk through Monet's water lilies and poppies, look into Van Gogh's bedroom in Arles, and meet Manet's Olympia face to face. Housed in the magnificent 1900 Beaux-Arts Gare d'Orsay railway station, this is the world's greatest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces. Book your skip-the-line slot in seconds.
Buy TicketsThe Musée d'Orsay sits inside the Gare d'Orsay, a 1900 Beaux-Arts railway station built by architect Victor Laloux for the Universal Exhibition and converted into a museum in 1986. Five floors arranged around a vast iron-and-glass nave hold the world's richest collection of art from 1848 to 1914 — Monet, Manet, Renoir, Degas, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Seurat. Booking online is the only way in: timed slots sell out almost daily in spring and summer. For planning, see our visitors guide, the latest opening hours and our best time to visit page.
The smartest way to visit the Musée d'Orsay
Walk past the queue at the Seine-side entrance with a pre-booked timed-entry ticket. The museum sells out almost every day in summer and on first Sundays — booking ahead is the only way in.
Add the official audio tour in 7 languages — narrators walk you through the masterpieces of Impressionism, from Manet's Olympia to Renoir's Bal du moulin de la Galette.
Plans change. Cancel up to 24 hours before your visit for a full refund — no questions asked, no fees, no fine print.
Show your ticket directly from your phone at the entrance. No printing, no paper, no queueing at the box office on Rue de la Légion d'Honneur.
On the fifth floor of the Musée d'Orsay, behind the Impressionist galleries, sits one of the most photographed spots in Paris: the great clock face of the former Gare d'Orsay. The translucent dial, almost seven metres across, was installed when the station opened in 1900 and overlooks the Seine, the Tuileries Gardens and the rooftops running toward Sacré-Cœur on the hill of Montmartre.
Standing behind the clock, with the Roman numerals reversed and the city stretching out through the glass, is a moment most visitors say they remember more vividly than any single painting. It is in the same wing as Renoir's Bal du moulin de la Galette, Monet's Poppies and Van Gogh's Self-Portrait — three of the most celebrated paintings in the history of modern art, all within a few steps of one another.
Visit the Musée d'Orsay in 3 simple steps
Pick a date and 30-minute timed-entry slot. Add an audio guide or a small-group expert tour if you want to go deeper. Combo tickets with the Musée de l'Orangerie nearby — for Monet's Water Lilies cycle — are also available.
Secure checkout with instant email confirmation. Your mobile ticket arrives in minutes, ready to scan at the door — no waiting in any queue, no printing required.
On the day, head to Entrance C on Rue de la Légion d'Honneur and walk straight in. Drop coats and large bags at the free cloakroom, then take the escalator to level 5 to start with the Impressionists.
Everything you need to know before your visit