(On May 2, there was a inauguration ceremony at the Musee de l’Orangerie. Re-opening of the museum has been pushed to May 17)

The Musee de l’Orangerie is best known as the home of Monet’s Nympheas (Water Lilies)– huge, wall-sized paintings of the gorgeous water lilies that inspired him at his home in Giverny. The museum closed in January, 2000, to undergo much needed renovations.

The six years of renovations have concluded, and as of May 17, 2006, you can visit the new-and-improved Orangerie, located in the Tuileries gardens. What can you expect? There will be much more light in the museum as well as a new, brighter and more central area for the display of the Nympheas. New spaces have been created for the museum’s other collections which include paintings by Renoir, Cezanne, Rousseau, Modigliani, Picasso, Matisse, Soutine and Utrillo.

The reception area is much larger, and spaces have been created for temporary exhibitions, an audiovisual room, a classroom and a bookstore/gift store.

With all these improvements, the Orangerie can certainly once again compete with the best of Paris’s museums. Be sure to stop by while you stroll through the Tuileries.

Practical Information:

Musee de L’Orangerie
Jardin des Tuileries
75001 Paris
Metro: Concorde

Open every day except Tuesday.
Hours: 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. the museum is open to reserved groups only
12:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. (10 p.m. on Fridays) the museum is open to individuals only
Tickets: 6.50 euros

Nympheas by Monet:

Novo Pilota by Modigliani: