Transformation

Train technology was advancing, however, and soon the carriages were too long for the platforms to accommodate, so the station’s use declined until the late 1930s when it only served trains to the Paris suburbs. It was eventually abandoned as a train station and transformed into the art museum we know today in 1986. 

Too Much Art – How is that even possible?

When the museum was first built, it helped alleviate an enviable problem in Paris – there was so much art but no space to display it! The new museum quickly filled up with collections dating from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, gathered from the National Museum of Modern Art, the Jeu de Paume (another repurposed space that used to be a very elegant tennis court), and the Louvre.

By the time that the Musée d’Orsay was completed the Louvre was so overcrowded with art masterpieces that it had to put some of them in storage from where they were rarely brought out to be on display.

Photo from NPR. Degas’ Dancer at the Musée D’Orsay on display with French Impressionism.

Impressive Collections and the Impressionists

The Musée d’Orsay houses an impressive collection of mainly French art, including paintings, sculptures, photography, and the decorative arts and is a must-see for anyone visiting Paris. There are also collections of graphic art, mainly made up of drawings from 1820-1870 and a fascinating collection of architectural drawings, plans and scale models.

Instead of seeing train platforms on the ground floor, you’ll now be able to walk through the sculpture gallery and gallery spaces for paintings and the decorative arts.

The Musée d’Orsay now boasts one of the most impressive collections of art in the world, including many of the most well-known Impressionist works by Manet, Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, Courbet and sculpture by Degas and Rodin. The Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works are displayed on the entire length of the fifth floor in an amazing exploration of the era.

Art in the Museum

Ongoing Exhibitions at the  d’Orsay

Every year the Musée d’Orsay also shows several temporary exhibitions in rotation that focus on one aspect of art, or current trends.

Having such a vast space also allows the Museum to also have an in-house restoration and conservation department, where paintings and frames are cleaned, and protected for future generations to enjoy. 

The Museum that started out as a modern marvel of transport and comfort is now a hub of a different kind and is proud of its past, celebrates the present and protects its collections for the future. 

The Musée d’Orsay Clocks

Some of the most iconic images of the d’Orsay are of its clocks. At least on social media where the most popular images from inside the museum are not of any particular piece of art, but of the massive clock faces. The museum has three enormous clocks. Two of them are identical with their glass and heavy steel hands and numerals.  They are situated high up at either end of the north-facing wall of the museum. They are the clock ‘windows’ overlooking the River Seine and from here there is a terrific view of Paris.

The third clock is inside, facing into the station itself so people would always know when their train was arriving. Built at a time when not everyone owned a pocket watch, the clocks provided an important focal point. This indoor clock is a masterpiece, the most beautiful with its ornate gilded setting, and it still chimes every hour.

After absorbing all the art you should stop off for some refreshment. The Museum boasts a café and two restaurants, and perhaps the most popular one is the Café Campana on the fifth floor. Not only does it have a delightful menu, but you can also see one of these famous clocks up close and gaze out onto Paris through the clock-face.

It’s perfect for a backlit selfie.