Highlights of the Musée de l'Orangerie
The building at the western end of the Tuileries Garden
Image: Traktorminze / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped, resized, and sharpened)The Musée de l’Orangerie stands at the western end of the Tuileries Garden. The building was constructed in 1852 as a facility to protect the Tuileries Palace’s orange trees during winter. Its design, which brings in light from the south side along the Seine while blocking cold air on the north side, is still reflected in the elongated appearance of the building as it exists today, converted into a museum.
The Musée de l’Orangerie and the Tuileries Garden are both inscribed on the World Heritage List as part of “The Banks of the Seine in Paris.”
The Two Galleries Surrounding Monet’s Water Lilies
Image: Adrian Scottow / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped, resized, and sharpened)The work that best represents the Musée de l’Orangerie is Claude Monet’s large decorative painting series “Water Lilies.” Across the two oval exhibition rooms, a total of 8 large panels form a continuous sequence, surrounding visitors with the surface of the pond, willows, clouds, and shifting light. The space itself, designed to incorporate natural light, is part of the work’s conception, and each painting creates a continuous landscape encircling the interior.
Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume Collection
On the underground level, works by Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso, Modigliani, Soutine, Utrillo, and others from the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century are on display. Through paintings of a different scale and perspective from “Water Lilies,” visitors can survey the development of modern art from Impressionism to the École de Paris.
Basic information about the Musée de l'Orangerie
The information below was checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Please also check the latest information on the official website when planning your trip.
- 🔗 Official website
-
You can check the opening hours, admission fees, and access information.
Visite | Musée de l'Orangeriewww.musee-orangerie.fr - 📍 Address
- Jardin des Tuileries, Place de la Concorde (côté Seine), 75001 Paris
- 🕒 Opening hours
-
- Regular hours: 9:00〜18:00. Last admission is at 17:15, and the galleries close from 17:45.
- Fridays during temporary exhibitions: 9:00〜21:00. Last admission is at 20:15, and visitors must leave the galleries by 20:45.
- 🚫 Closed days
- Tuesdays, 5 month 1 day, the morning of 7 month 14 day, and 12 month 25 day.
- 💶 Admission fees
- Regular admission is 12.50 euros online and 11 euros on site. Ticket types, prices, and purchasing methods—including discount and free-admission conditions and the combined ticket with the Musée d’Orsay—are explained in detail in the following section, “Tickets for the Musée de l’Orangerie.”
- ⏱️ Recommended time
- Approximately 1 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours is a guideline for viewing “Water Lilies” and the permanent collection. ⚠️ The time required varies depending on temporary exhibitions, the wait to enter, and the number of works you view.
Musée de l'Orangerie tickets
The admission ticket includes the permanent collection, Monet’s “Water Lilies,” and the current temporary exhibition, but does not include the virtual reality experience.
- General admission: 12.50 euros online, 11 euros on site.
- Reduced admission: 8.50 euros on site for eligible visitors. Check the eligible categories and required proof in the pricing information on the official website.
- Friday evening admission: from 18:00 during the temporary exhibition period, 10 euros online and 8.50 euros on site.
- Enfant et Cie: 10 euros online, 8.50 euros on site. Available to EU-resident adults accompanying children under 18 years old, for up to 2 adults.
- Combined ticket with the Musée d’Orsay: 20 euros on site.
- Free admission: under 18 years old. Visitors aged 18 to 25 are eligible with proof if they are nationals of an EU member state, or nationals of another country who have lived in the EU for more than 3 months.
- Every 1 Sunday of the month: free admission for everyone. Reservations are required except for Carte Blanche members.
Online purchases and time-slot reservations are available on the official ticket website.
- Time-slot reservation: Reservations are strongly recommended, except for Carte Blanche, SAMO, and AFMO members.
- Entry time: Please enter within 30 minutes of your reserved time.
Getting to the Musée de l’Orangerie
Metro
Get off at Concorde station on lines 1, 8 and 12. From Place de la Concorde, walk toward the Jardin des Tuileries along the Seine; the museum is there.
On foot
Place de la Concorde serves as a landmark when heading to the museum. Its location makes it easy to combine a visit with the Tuileries Garden, the Louvre, and a walk along the Seine. The entrance for people with reduced mobility is to the left of the main entrance. Security screening at the entrance may take time, so allow plenty of time before your visit.
Details about the route to the museum and the entrance are available in the official information on access and the accessible entrance. Please also check the visiting conditions before your visit.
For directions to the Musée de l'Orangerie, see the official page below.
For attractions, transport and suggested itineraries, see “Paris: A guide to attractions, food, transportation, and suggested itineraries”.
