Why is the museum called « Orangerie »
1852: a greenhouse for the oranges
Under Napoleon III, the Tuileries garden needed a winter shelter for its boxed oranges. Firmin Bourgeois designed a long stone and glass building on the Seine side, which was erected in four months. The south facade, entirely glazed, catches the sun; the north facade, blind, protects from the cold. It is a utilitarian building, and this simplicity explains why it has been emptied and remade so often.
1927: the Water Lilies
After Monet's donation in 1922, architect Camille Lefèvre installed two oval rooms in the former greenhouse, facing east-west, lit from above. The inauguration took place on May 17, 1927. Monet died in December 1926. What these panels are and how to look at them, you can find out on Monet's Water Lilies.
The 1930s: an exhibition gallery
The building becomes a venue for temporary exhibitions. A Rubens retrospective attracts a million visitors in 1936, a figure that speaks volumes about Paris at the time. The Water Lilies, however, remain in place, sometimes with relative indifference.
1959-1966: the Walter-Guillaume collection
Paul Guillaume, an art dealer who died in 1934, had gathered together works by Renoir, Cézanne, Derain, Soutine, Picasso, Matisse, and Modigliani. His widow Domenica married the industrialist Jean Walter and negotiated with the State, which purchased the entire collection between 1959 and 1963. The collection was presented to the public in 1966. The 146 paintings and their artists are detailed on the exhibited artists.
2000-2006: the renovation
Architect Olivier Brochet closed the museum for six years. He restored the natural light to the Water Lilies from the ceiling, which previous modifications had covered, and dug 1,300 m² of galleries under the building to install the collection on level -2. The museum reopened on May 17, 2006, the anniversary of 1927. Since 2010, it has been administratively attached to the Musée d'Orsay, which explains the combined ticket described on Orsay or Orangerie.
What works
- A readable building: a greenhouse, two ovals, a basement
- Daylight that is part of the artwork
- Two collections that complement each other two floors apart
- A south facade visible when arriving from the garden
To know
- The orange trees are no longer there, don't look for them
- The Jeu de Paume, opposite, is the twin building, but another museum
- The museum is closed on Tuesdays, as it has been for a long time
- Nothing of the history is told on the walls: a guide provides it
Arrive through the Tuileries Garden rather than through Concorde: you will see the south glass facade by Bourgeois before entering, and you will understand the name without reading this text. Access is described on how to get there by metro.
Visit today
What remains of the Orangerie is the volume and the light. To see it quietly, book the first time slot in the morning. What the ticket includes is on all tickets.
Book a time slot
Frequently Asked Questions
Who built the Musée de l'Orangerie ?
The architect Firmin Bourgeois, in 1852, under Napoleon III, to house the oranges of the Tuileries Garden. What you see today is on what to see at the Orangerie.
When were the Water Lilies at the Orangerie ?
Since May 17, 1927, after Monet's donation to France in 1922. Details on Monet's Water Lilies.
Is the Orangerie part of the Musée d'Orsay ?
Administratively, yes, since 2010. These are two distinct museums, 15 minutes walk apart, with a combined ticket. See Orsay or Orangerie.
What is the Walter-Guillaume collection ?
The 146 paintings gathered by the dealer Paul Guillaume, sold to the State by his widow Domenica Walter and exhibited since 1966. See the exhibited artists.