Tour Details
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Product Type
- Tour
- Venues
- Musée d'Orsay
Photos & Highlights
- Take a captivating journey through the museum, once a railway station turned into an art haven, as you explore masterpieces from the 19th and 20th centuries
- Join an expert in art history who will tailor the experience to your interests and level of knowledge
Select a date
Tour Description
Embark on an immersive journey through the Musée d'Orsay that unveils the museum's fascinating history and showcases the evolution of its collections. You'll start your guided tour by delving into the unique architecture of this former rail station, which was transformed into a museum in 1986.
As you step into the galleries, your focus turns to dozens of masterpieces on display. Taking a chronological approach, your Orsay museum private tour begins on the ground floor, where the Barbizon school and Corot's works take center stage. These artists boldly broke free from traditional constraints, emphasizing nature and atmosphere, casting off the rules of antiquity and classicism.
Moving forward, you'll dive into the groundbreaking techniques and ideas of Realist artists like Courbet and Manet, tracing their influence on the future Impressionists. Witness the radical departure from tradition as Impressionism spread its wings through the mesmerizing works of Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Pissarro.
Your Orsay Museum tour continues as you explore the profound impact of Impressionism on artists like Cézanne and Van Gogh. From there, you'll move into various movements such as Neo-impressionism, Fauvism, and Pointillism. You'll round off your tour by delving into these diverse movements, immersing yourself in the world of artists like Matisse and Gauguin.
By the end of your Context tour, you'll possess a deep understanding of these influential art movements and their pivotal role in shaping the landscape of Modern Art.
Experts
- You relish connecting with fellow art history enthusiasts, eager to share your passion.
- You want to uncover the captivating stories and profound insights hidden within famous paintings and sculptures.
- If you're traveling with children under the age of 12, we recommend our family-oriented Musee D’Orsay Tour for Kids
- The Musée d'Orsay, housed in a beautifully transformed Beaux-Arts railway station, is renowned for its exceptional collection of art from the 19th and early 20th centuries, featuring works from prominent artists of the 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.
Resources
- If you are looking to learn more about Paris prior to a visit, check out our Online Lectures and Audio Guides.
Accessibility
- Information about the Accessibility at Musee D’Orsays is available here.
- We kindly request that you inform us if any members of your group have mobility considerations, so we can ensure the best experience possible.
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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542 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.
We spent the afternoon with Sandrine at the Orsay. She was absolutely wonderful! Very knowledgable and took us to see some exhibits we might have missed on our own. She had a soft voice but used a microphone so we didn't have any issues with hearing her. At the end she suggested some other exhibits to go back and see if we had time. We very much enjoyed her guided tour and would recommend her and Context Travel to family and friends!
Rebecca
Jun 25, 2025
Aline was very knowledgeable, and had a wonderful delivery style to help us understand the art, the artists and the context of the paintings. She was a good teacher for a beginner and for return visitors to Musee D’Orsay. Highly recommend her.
Carol
Jun 21, 2025
Francois gave an informative, professional tour of the Musee D’Orsay. His approach organized the content and this manner helped me digest the historical overview and learn new details. Francois was friendly and good company and attentive to tailor the tour to address my pace. I highly recommend this tour and Francois as a guide. Thx again Context.
Beth
Jun 18, 2025
See the d'Orsay with Context
Get to know one of the art historians leading this tour
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