The Best Time to Visit the Musee d'Orsay
Insider guide to exploring the world's premier Impressionist museum housed inside a magnificent former Beaux-Arts railway station.
Quick Answer
Visit on Thursday evening (open until 9:45 PM) or at 9:30 AM opening on Wednesday or Friday to avoid peak mid-day lines.
Located on the Left Bank of the Seine, the Musée d'Orsay holds the world's largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces, including iconic works by Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Paul Cézanne.
Thursday Night Openings
Every Thursday, the museum stays open until 9:45 PM. The former Gare d'Orsay train station hall is bathed in warm evening light, and queues are dramatically shorter than weekend afternoons.
Ready to plan your museum visit?
Compare skip-the-line tickets, guided tours, and combo passes for top museums and attractions.