Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
Musée d'Orsay
Photos & Highlights
- Discover highlights of Impressionism, Realism, etc. on a captivating journey through a former grand train station.
- Explore iconic works and hidden gems to gain a deeper appreciation of 19th-and 20th-century art.
Select a date
Tour Description
The Musée d’Orsay, with its rich and fascinating history, is a must-see for any visitor to Paris. On this 3-hour tour, your expert guide will showcase how this former train station was transformed into a world-renowned museum while tracing the evolution of artwork through the 19th and early 20th century.
With your expert by your side, you’ll uncover the history behind iconic works by artists like Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, who shaped movements such as Impressionism and Cubism. You’ll learn to see, interpret, and speak about art with confidence, connecting past movements to the artistic movements of today.
Choose this tour if…
- It is your first time in Paris and you’re seeking a comprehensive and engaging tour that will help you understand the d’Orsay’s collections.
- You want to grasp the artistic and cultural significance of 19th-century movements like Realism and Impressionism.
- You don’t want to worry about navigating the crowded spaces. Your expert will take you to the museum’s most important works.
- If you’re traveling with children under the age of 12, we recommend our family-oriented Musée d’Orsay Tour for Kids.
Experts
"Educational, entertaining, and fascinating"
Pauline was very knowledgeable of the art and thoughtfully guided my daughter and me through the Musée d’Orsay while providing excellent context of the evolution of the artworks, and various reception of them within the social constructs of the time, and the important current events of the time period represented by the museum. Educational, entertaining, and fascinating for myself and for my teenager!
"Marveled at the range of information"
Fantastic, educational and engaging walk through, not only the history and art of the Musée d'Orsay, but with Lindsay's tales, French history and culture as well. Our group of 6 adults - older and younger, all marveled at the range of information - art history, architecture, French society and history, and the artists--their lives, their works, and their commentary.
"It'll be an experience of a life-time"
We spent four of the best hours of our trip to Paris in the Musée d'Orsay (and only regret that we didn't have four more). We were accompanied on private tour by our exceptionally knowledgeable and passionate guide, Thibaud. Thibaud's faculty level knowledge about art and the history of art in Paris brought the Musée d'Orsay to life for us. His sense of humor and personal warmth made our time pass by so quickly, that we felt as if we'd just arrived....His text-book knowledge and story-telling abilities brought each period and artist to life in ways that we lingered in each room engaging in conversation about the art before us. The masterpieces in this museum are mind blowing and the viewers proximity to them are intimate and engaging....Do not miss the Musée d'Orsay and if you are lucky enough to take a private tour with Thibaud, count yourself blessed! It'll be an experience of a life-time.
You’ll start your journey discussing the history of what was once a bustling train station, now transformed into a beloved art museum. As you stand beneath the iron arches, your expert guide will bring to life the fascinating history of Gare d’Orsay, tracing its transformation from a symbol of industrial progress to its rebirth as a museum. You can begin to picture the arriving trains and the bustling passengers as you enter the museum.
Starting on the ground floor of the galleries, you’ll be guided through the 19th-century art movements in chronological order. View the groundbreaking works of the Barbizon School and naturalist paintings of artists like Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. Your expert guide will highlight how these artists’ works were a radical break from tradition, laying the foundation for a shift in artistic vision for future artists.
From there, you’ll explore the Realist movement, where artists like Gustave Courbet and Édouard Manet built upon the shift with their novel conventions of contemporary life. Stand before Manet’s Olympia as your expert guide unpacks the technique behind its creation and the controversy and reaction it created at the time. Dive into its significance, reflecting on the social conventions of the day and how art challenged them.
As your journey continues, you’ll explore the Impressionist movement and discover how it inspired artists like Paul Cézanne and Vincent Van Gogh. You will see Portrait de l’artiste (1889) up close as your expert guide helps reveal the nuance of its expressive and vibrant style. From there, explore the world of later schools like Neo-Impressionism, Fauvism, and Pointillism, discussing important works by Henri Matisse, Paul Gauguin, and others who influenced modern art. By the end of your tour, you’ll have gained a deeper understanding of the differing art movements and their continued role in shaping modern art.
Sites Visited
- The Musée d’Orsay - Housed in a former Beaux-Arts railway station, the museum showcases masterpieces of 19th-and early 20th-century art, including Impressionist, Realist, and Post-Impressionist movements.
General Information
- There will be a break in the tour to stop and use bathroom facilities as well as opportunities to stop and rest along the way if needed. Please communicate any mobility needs or concerns with our team at the time of booking.
Tickets
- Includes timed admission tickets to the museum
- Our skip-the-line tickets will get us to a special lane where our group will have to stand in line due to security and crowd control measures.
Headsets
- Depending on your group size, we may be required by the venue to order headsets, in which case you’ll see a “Headset Fee” added to your order.
- If you would like to guarantee headsets for your tour regardless of your group size, please email us and we’ll do our best to get them reserved for you
Transportation
We currently offer an optional private transfer service from your hotel to the meeting point.
We understand that some of our valued guests may have mobility concerns, and we want to ensure you have a comfortable and enjoyable experience throughout your tour. If there are any accessibility concerns that your tour guide will need to be aware of, please let our team know at the time of booking.
Wheelchair accessibility
Wheelchairs are accessible for all wheelchair users.
Service dog accommodations
Service dogs are welcome and can be accommodated on this tour.
For more information about Context tours, please visit our FAQ page.
There are 7 in my group but your website won't allow me to include more than 6 participants. Can't you make an exception?
No, unfortunately, due to venue reservation restrictions, we cannot accommodate groups larger than 6 people. If your group is larger, we recommend you split into multiple groups.
When is the best time to visit Musée d’Orsay?
The Musée d’Orsay is very busy and not as spacious as the Louvre. We recommend visiting the museum when it is open late on Thursday evenings.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
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568 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
The tour was good, it was only three people as we waited awhile as the other lady didn't show. I really liked the small group and the ladies have done other context tours. one woman however was left behind the day before by context and told us all about it as the guide mentioned we were waiting on someone left behind the previous day.
The guide was quite knowledgable and I liked the history of the rooms and the art movements however the only surprise was that if she didn't like an artist she said so. she isn't a fan of Monet so we didn't stop for photos of his famous works but I was able to get a quick shot or two and catch up.
Most people in my opinion are first timers to Paris and the museum and I would think want the famous photos to show their family and friends.
She also had a strong negative opinion of my Louvre tour with my 11 yo niece which I did as a treasure hunt last year that I discussed with the other woman with young children. she may not agree to make art interactive for kids (ie- a game) but my niece loved it and still talks about a few pieces which was a win for me given that my niece is all about shopping. my conversation had nothing to do with this tour so not sure why she had to dismiss me/my choice for my family (niece).
I understand Context is different with art historians and that made for quite the lesson on our tour which I liked. I didn't like the personal critique/commentary of artists that seemed unique to the guide. Is that normal on your tours? would another guide do the same?
Suzanne
Reviewed on:
Sep 28, 2016
<p>Hello Winsome, I hope you're well! I just wanted to share this lovely feedback from a recent Orsay client who was very pleased. She also had some useful constructive feedback:</p>
<p><em>Happy to provide feedback on our tour of the Musee d’Orsay. Overall, Winsome was a solid tour guide. She was pleasant, knowledgeable and welcoming. Our tour had 4 people, myself and my 21 year old son and a couple from Texas in their mid 60’s. The husband of this couple was a little challenging for the group as he felt that he was knowledgable in art and on many occasions hi-jacked the discussion of the works in the Musee by asking irrelevant questions and in some instances seeming to quiz Winsome on her art knowledge. To her credit Winsome was able to keep the group on track as we went through the museum. I do feel that she could take a stronger leadership position by having a distinct plan for the tour and then adjusting based on the interests. Winsome has a good grasp of the material and an enthusiasm for the d’Orsay and its works. She was able to share history, knowledge and perspective throughout the museum. She could benefit from some guidance on dealing with tour participants like the Texas doctor in the d’Orsay.</em></p>
<p>You might find the section entitled "group dynamics" on this page helpful, as it categorizes types of difficult clients and tools for handling them: http://contextlearning.ning.com/page/consummate-host</p>
<p>Let me know your thoughts on this walk. Maybe I can offer other suggestions, too! -Sara</p>
Donna
Reviewed on:
Sep 27, 2016
Loved pretty much everything. Only comment I have is that the guide was so passionate, it got a bit intense at times. He would speak very quickly, gesticulate wildly, and was a bit touchy-feely. While this style worked well for our taste, he may want to tone it down just a tad for others. All the information was superb, great storyteller, great guy.
Stephen
Reviewed on:
Sep 26, 2016
