Which Musée d'Orsay Ticket Should You Book?
The Musée d'Orsay holds the world's largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art inside a converted Belle Époque railway station, and five different tickets get you inside. The right one depends on whether you want commentary, a live guide, or just the fastest way past the entrance.
About This Experience
A digital audio guide walks you through the collection floor by floor, included with this ticket.
Monet, Renoir, Degas and Pissarro fill the museum's famous top-floor galleries.
Reserve a slot and go straight in, Tuesday to Sunday 9:30 to 18:00, until 21:45 on Thursdays.
General entry is 16 euros, and the museum is free on the first Sunday of every month.
The building was a working train station before it became a museum, and the great glass clock still overlooks the Seine.
The Musée d'Orsay closes on Mondays, unlike the nearby Louvre, which closes on Tuesdays.
Check Live Availability & Prices
Timed slots for the Impressionist floor fill up on weekend mornings, so check current availability before you build the rest of your day around it.
Which Musée d'Orsay Ticket to Pick
Five tickets get you into the Musée d'Orsay, and the choice comes down to how much guidance you want and how much you're willing to pay for it. The skip-the-line entry ticket ($15, 4.7 from over 27,000 reviews) is the clear value pick and covers everything most visitors need, since the galleries are well laid out and the Impressionist rooms are easy to find on the fifth floor. Add the audio guide ($32, 4.4) if you want commentary without a live guide setting the pace.
For a guided visit, both small-group options rate 4.8, though from far fewer reviews than the entry ticket. The impressionism guided tour ($107, 1.5 hours) focuses tightly on the fifth floor, while the best-of-Orsay small-group tour ($114, 2 hours) covers more ground across the museum. Either is worth it if a live explanation of the paintings matters more to you than saving money.
If Rodin is also on your list, the Orsay plus Rodin combo ticket ($51, 4.4) bundles both museums, which sit a short walk apart on the Left Bank. Beyond the Musée d'Orsay, the other great museums in Paris each reward a similar amount of planning, so it is worth deciding early which one gets a guide and which gets a plain ticket.
Compare All Five Musée d'Orsay Tickets
Same collection, same former railway station, five different ways in.
from $32Our pick Musée d'Orsay Entry Ticket with Audio Guide
- Timed entry ticket
- Digital audio guide included
- Self-paced Impressionist galleries
from $15 Musée d'Orsay Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket
- Reserved time slot
- Skip the ticket line
- Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh and Degas
from $107 Musée d'Orsay Impressionism Guided Tour
- Guided Impressionist route
- Entry ticket included
- Focus on light and colour
from $114 Best of Orsay Small-Group Guided Tour
- Small guided group
- Tickets included
- The story behind Impressionism
from $51 Orsay Museum & Rodin Museum Combo Ticket
- Two museums, one ticket
- Impressionist painting plus sculpture
- Both within walking distance
Side by Side
| Tour | Duration | Price | Book | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Ticket + Audio Guide | Flexible | $32 | Check | 4.4★ | Self-paced with commentary |
| Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket | Flexible | $15 | Check | 4.7★ | Best value, just get in |
| Impressionism Guided Tour | 1.5 hours | $107 | Check | 4.8★ | A guide on the Impressionists |
| Best of Orsay Small-Group Tour | 2 hours | $114 | Check | 4.8★ | Small-group depth |
| Orsay + Rodin Combo Ticket | Flexible | $51 | Check | 4.4★ | Two museums in one ticket |
What You'll See
The Musée d'Orsay condenses the second half of the nineteenth century into one former train station, and the fifth floor is where most visitors head first.
- The Impressionist fifth floor: Monet, Renoir, Degas and Pissarro
- Van Gogh's self-portrait and Starry Night Over the Rhône
- Manet's Olympia and Luncheon on the Grass
- Whistler's Mother
- Degas' ballet dancers and bronze sculptures
- The great glass station clock overlooking the Seine
- Courbet's landscapes and realist works
- Art Nouveau furniture and decorative arts
How a Visit Flows
-
09:30
Reserve and arrive
Enter with your timed slot before the galleries fill up.
-
09:45
Fifth floor first
Head straight up to the Impressionist galleries while they are quiet.
-
10:15
Van Gogh and the clock
See the self-portrait and Starry Night Over the Rhône, then step behind the giant glass clock for the view over the Seine.
-
11:00
Post-Impressionism
Work back down through the middle floors at a slower pace.
-
11:45
Ground floor
Finish with Manet's Olympia, Courbet's landscapes and the sculpture aisle.
Know Before You Go
Not suitable for
- Visitors trying to fit the Louvre and the Orsay into one relaxed day, each deserves its own morning or afternoon
- Anyone hoping to photograph with flash, most galleries restrict it
- Young children looking for interactive exhibits, this is a paintings-and-sculpture collection with little hands-on activity
What to bring
- A valid photo ID or your ticket confirmation for the timed slot
- Comfortable shoes, the collection spans several upper floors
- A light layer, the glass-roofed upper galleries can run warm
- A phone or camera for the view from behind the station clock
Not allowed
- Large suitcases and bulky backpacks inside the galleries
- Flash photography and tripods
- Food and drink in the exhibition rooms
Insider Tips
A little planning turns a crowded museum into an easy one.
- Reserve the first available slot after the 9:30 opening, tour groups build through midday
- The fifth floor thins out again after 16:00, useful if mornings are booked
- Thursday's extended hours to 21:45 are a quieter time to see the Impressionists
- The museum is free on the first Sunday of the month, which also makes it the most crowded day
- Nearest metro is Solférino on line 12, or RER C to Musée d'Orsay station
- The station clock on the fifth floor is one of the best photo spots in the building
Where You're Headed
Musée d'Orsay Tickets FAQ
How much does a Musée d'Orsay ticket cost?
General admission is 16 euros. The tickets covered here range from $15 for skip-the-line entry to $114 for a small-group guided tour, and the museum is free on the first Sunday of the month.
Which Musée d'Orsay ticket is the best value?
The skip-the-line entry ticket at $15 holds a 4.7 rating from over 27,000 reviews and covers everything most visitors need.
Is a guided tour worth it at the Musée d'Orsay?
Both small-group guided options rate 4.8, so a guide is worth it if you want the Impressionist story explained rather than reading labels on your own.
What are the Musée d'Orsay's opening hours?
Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 to 18:00, with extended hours until 21:45 on Thursdays. The museum is closed on Mondays.
How do I get to the Musée d'Orsay by metro?
Take line 12 to Solférino, or RER C to the Musée d'Orsay station, both a short walk from the entrance on the Left Bank.
Can I visit the Musée d'Orsay for free?
Yes, admission is free on the first Sunday of every month, though this is also the busiest day to visit.
What Visitors Say
Going straight to the fifth floor before the crowds was the best call we made all trip. The Van Gogh room alone was worth the ticket.
The audio guide gave just enough context without slowing us down. We covered the whole museum in about three hours.
Our small-group guide connected the paintings in a way we never would have caught on our own. Worth the extra cost.