Musée d'Orsay vs Louvre: Which Paris Museum to Visit
Updated October 28, 2026
Verdict
Choose the Louvre if you want to see the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Egyptian and Greek antiquities. Choose Orsay if Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cézanne or Van Gogh are your thing: and the ticket is cheaper. If you can, do both on different days: the Louvre closes on Tuesdays and Orsay on Mondays.
Musée d'Orsay vs Louvre is really a split of art history: the Louvre Museum gathers art from Antiquity up to just before Impressionism, and the Musée d'Orsay covers French art from 1848 to 1914, with the world's largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. They sit on the banks of the Seine, one on each side, and both are in the Paris Museum Pass. If you only have time for one, choose by what you want to see, not by fame.
| Criterion | Louvre Museum | Musée d'Orsay |
|---|---|---|
| Collection | From Antiquity to just before Impressionism: antiquities, sculpture, objets d'art, painting | French art from 1848 to 1914: Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, sculpture, photography and furniture |
| Star works | Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory of Samothrace | Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh |
| Building | Former royal palace; a museum since 1793 | Former Gare d'Orsay railway station (1898–1900); a museum since 1986 |
| Size | About 35,000 works in 60,500 m² of galleries | A single building, the former Gare d'Orsay |
| Ticket | 22 € (EEA) or 32 € (everyone else) | 16 € bought online; Thursday evening from 6:00 pm, 12 € online |
| Free | Under-18s, EEA under-26s; first Friday of the month from 6:00 pm (except July and August) | Under-18s, EEA under-26s; first Sunday of each month |
| Closing day | Tuesday | Monday |
| Late opening | Wednesday and Friday until 9:00 pm | Thursday until 9:45 pm (last entry 9:00 pm) |
What each collection holds
The Louvre is France's national museum of fine art, archaeology and decorative arts from before Impressionism, split into eight departments, from Egyptian antiquities to the graphic arts. Orsay starts where the Louvre stops: French art from 1848 to 1914, with painting, sculpture, furniture and photography, and the world's largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Many of those works used to be in the Jeu de Paume. If you are looking for Van Gogh or Monet, you won't find them in the Louvre.
Size and visit time
The Louvre is much bigger: it shows about 35,000 works in 60,500 m² of galleries and had about 9 million visitors in 2025. You cannot see it all in a day; the guided tours we sell spend 2 to 2.5 hours on the main works. Orsay fills a single building, the former Gare d'Orsay railway station, built between 1898 and 1900.
Price and entry
The Louvre costs 22 € for EEA residents and 32 € for everyone else. Orsay costs 16 € bought online, and on Thursdays from 6:00 pm there is an evening rate of 12 € online. Both are free for under-18s and for EEA residents under 26. The free day differs: the first Friday of each month from 6:00 pm at the Louvre (except July and August) and the first Sunday of each month at Orsay. Since March 2026 Orsay has works in its reception areas, but it stays open with its usual hours.
Which to choose for your tastes
It depends on what you want to see:
- First time in Paris and you want "the famous stuff" — Louvre: the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace are only there.
- You love Impressionism — Orsay: Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cézanne and Van Gogh.
- You are on a tight budget — Orsay: 16 € online against 22 € or 32 €; and if you are under 26 and live in the EEA, both are free.
- You are into ancient civilizations — Louvre: Egyptian, Near Eastern, Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities.
- You only have an evening — Louvre on Wednesdays and Fridays until 9:00 pm; Orsay on Thursdays until 9:45 pm.
How to see both
Their closing days don't overlap, which makes planning easier: the Louvre closes on Tuesdays and Orsay on Mondays. You can see the Louvre on Monday and Orsay on Tuesday, or use Orsay's Thursday late opening and the Louvre's on Wednesday or Friday. Both are included in the Paris Museum Pass (85 € for 2 days), which at the Louvre requires booking a time slot; for just two museums, though, single tickets work out cheaper. Remember that a Louvre ticket does not let you leave and come back in.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, the Louvre or Orsay?
It depends on what you like. The Louvre for the Mona Lisa and ancient and classical art; Orsay for Impressionism and French art from 1848 to 1914.
How much is a Musée d'Orsay ticket?
16 € bought online. On Thursdays from 6:00 pm there is an evening rate of 12 € online. Free for under-18s and EEA residents under 26.
What day is the Musée d'Orsay closed?
Mondays. On other days it opens from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm, and on Thursdays until 9:45 pm.
Can you see the Louvre and Orsay on the same day?
It is possible, but they are two long visits. It is easier to split them: the Louvre closes on Tuesdays and Orsay on Mondays.
Is the Musée d'Orsay ever free?
Yes, on the first Sunday of each month. It is also always free for under-18s and EEA residents under 26.
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