Babylon Tours Logo

Orsay Museum Guided Tour

Group Size Icon

Group Size

Max 6

Tour Duration Icon

Tour Duration

2.5 Hours

Satisfaction Guaranteed Icon

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Free Cancellation Icon

Free Cancellation up to 24 hrs

Highlights of the tour

Highlights generally include (as long as artwork is not on loan or being restored): 

• Caillebotte's The Floor Scrapers — an iconic portrayal of the Parisian working class with sharp realism, an iconic portrayal of the Parisian working-class that blends sharp realism with the innovative perspectives of Impressionism. 

• Manet's Olympia & Luncheon on the Grass — uncover the scandalous origins of Manet's Olympia and Luncheon on the Grass, two paintings that shocked audiences and helped define modern art. 

• Monet's Masterpieces — admire Monet's breathtaking series, from his atmospheric views of Rouen Cathedral and the misty grandeur of London's Parliament to his radiant poppies. 

• From Renoir's Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette to the beauty of Van Gogh's Starry Night Over the Rhône — our guide will take you through the history of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism


Details

There's a reason why Impressionism is the world's most beloved art movement its vibrant colors, bold brushstrokes, and stirring depictions of Parisian life in the 1800s capture a mood and a moment in time like no other style. 

From sunlit landscapes to bustling scenes of Belle Époque life, the masterpieces of the Musée d'Orsay transport you into the heart of 19th-century France. Join one of our expert guides for a 2.5-hour private tour of this magnificent repurposed, century-old train station, now home to the world's greatest collection of Impressionist art. With small groups limited to just 6 guests, you'll have plenty of time to engage with your guide as they reveal the groundbreaking techniques and artistic rivalries that shaped this movement. Admire Monet's luminous cityscapes, Pissarro's idyllic landscapes, and Degas' graceful ballerinas. As you stand before Van Gogh's iconic Self-Portrait and the mesmerizing Starry Night Over the Rhône, gain a profound understanding of his genius and turmoil. 

By the end of your tour, you'll have uncovered the stories behind these revolutionary works and the artists who defied convention to change the course of art history. Whether you're an art lover or a first-time visitor, this experience will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the world of Impressionism.

If you'd like to avoid the crowds, be sure to check out our Thursday evening tour.


Itinerary

  • A 2.5-hour tour of the Musée d'Orsay with one of our expert guides
  • Esplanade Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, 75007 Paris.

Inclusion

• PRIVATE MUSEUM TOUR (with Reserved Entry Tickets Included)

• PROFESSIONAL TOUR GUIDE

• DURATION 2.5 HOURS

• ALL ENTRANCE FEES (with Reserved Entry Included!)


Semi-Private Tour

Enjoy an intimate small-group experience
Book Now

Upgrade! Book as Private Tour

Have your guide exclusively for your group
Book Now

Family Friendly Tour

Private tour designed with families in mind
Book Now

What Our Customers Say

A complete art lesson from Anatole at the d’Orsay
Jim G 33 contributions

A complete art lesson from Anatole at the d’Orsay

Our visit to the Orsay with Anatole was the art history class I never took, but now wished I had and will change how I view art forever.Our tour was a step by step journey through the underpinnings, connections, and consequences of the impressionist revolution. Anatole took the time to make us look carefully at the pieces, to explain the scandalous ones, to provide context and anecdotes, and to stop and to explore the notions that occurred to us during our visit. You will not regret spending time in a museum with Professor Anatole.

04 September 2025

Enhanced our appreciation greatly.
Flora H 2 contributions

Enhanced our appreciation greatly.

Our guide Miriam was wonderful. She was very knowledgeable and responsive to our questions. The small group (6 people max) was great.

04 September 2025

Musee d Orsay
Leslye W 66 contributions

Musee d Orsay

Ivana P was an amazing guide of the musee d’Orsay! She has multiple degrees in art history and gave us so much background of the painting we were seeing! Small group of 6 was perfect. Highly recommend her and Babylon Tours,

05 September 2025

Wonderful experience with Iasson T
Inspire816469 3 contributions

Wonderful experience with Iasson T

Wonderful tour to maximize your time at d’Orsay. Iasson T was the perfect tour guide - extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Would recommend him for tours of both d’Orsay and Le Louvre.

05 September 2025

Ivana knows her stuff, and how best to share it.
John T 8 contributions

Ivana knows her stuff, and how best to share it.

Ivana was a well-informed, sociable, and entertaining guide. She had an expert level of knowledge about the artworks at the Musee D'Orsay, the artists, and the time period during which Impressionism flourished. What a wonderful experience!

06 September 2025

Highly recommend
Joan H 1 contributions

Highly recommend

Our tour with Daniel was wonderful and I would highly recommend. He was incredibly knowledgeable and fun and the tour flew by too fast. Thank you Daniel!

09 September 2025

Excellent, well informed guide
StreetBand 10 contributions

Excellent, well informed guide

Very good experience and guided tour of the critical works at the d'Orsay with a great deal of information about political/society context of the paintings. Also a nice bit of information on a few surprise paintings.

09 September 2025

Fantastic Tour Guide and Great Museum
Shanti C 6 contributions

Fantastic Tour Guide and Great Museum

The tour guide Hugo was absolutely fantastic! His knowledge of the art and the history of the art, and the context for the development of artistic movements and the artists philosophies was amazing. He is friendly, engaging and I loved the depth of his commentary. I liked it so much that I booked a tour with him for another museum tomorrow. And of course, the museum itself is one of the great museums of the world.

10 September 2025

Uplifting and Informative Tour!
GraemeH 3 contributions

Uplifting and Informative Tour!

Very engaging, uplifting and informative insights into the full array of what this museum has to offer. Lili had a great interactive and interpersonal style with everyone on our tour.

12 September 2025

Best museum tour of Paris
LuCIa L 1 contributions

Best museum tour of Paris

This tour is a quiet, beautiful walk with only six people, it feels calm and personal. The guide speaks gently and clearly, sharing stories behind famous paintings Monet’s soft gardens Van Gogh’s bold colors Degas and Renoir’s joyful scenes of paris life touch my heart .It’s perfect for anyone who wants to feel close to the art,

14 September 2025

Knowledgeable and interesting!
Kathryn G 1 contributions

Knowledgeable and interesting!

My friend and I had a wonderful tour with Ivana. Ivana was very informative and definitely knew the art history well! It was a pleasure to be with her on her tour today at the Orsay Museum.

19 August 2025

Excellent guided tour at the Orsay Museum
maylene G 1 contributions

Excellent guided tour at the Orsay Museum

Mathieu was wonderful tour guide at the Orsay Museum! He was extremely knowledgeable and explained beautifully the historical aspects of how the impressionist painters came to be while guiding us to all the important works.

19 August 2025

Orsay Museum
Culture67630650839 1 contributions

Orsay Museum

We had Lili P as our tour guide , she was absolutely amazing. She is so knowledgeable about art history. She made the tour very interactive allowed everyone to ask questions. She even took pictures of family members at the end. I can’t recommend this tour enough. We were able to see a lot of different art pieces during the 2.5hr tour and Lili was able to easily navigate us through a busy museum .

22 August 2025

Do not miss this guided tour through the Orsay Museum
Marilu B 236 contributions

Do not miss this guided tour through the Orsay Museum

Nancy is the BEST TOUR GUIDE EVER!!!She was funny and yet very professional. She pointed out all the important pieces and explained how they fit in the development of neoclassical art into Impressionism. She gave us historical references, gave us context into a tumultuous period in French art, and explained with detail how American art collectors, ink manufacturers, and the steam engine were crucial for the birth and flourishing of Impressionism. Do not miss this beautiful museum, the excellent commentary, and the best collection of French art. (And skip the line to get in!)

03 September 2025

Lili P takes you on a wonderful artistic journey
969TR 3 contributions

Lili P takes you on a wonderful artistic journey

Ljiljana P was an absolute delight!Extremely knowledgeable and truly enjoys telling the stories behind some of the most influential works at Musee d’Orsay

04 September 2025

Museum de ossay
Mark C 2 contributions

Museum de ossay

Florence was a great tour guide, very knowledgeable and friendly! Knew the history of the building as well as the art inside it!! Highly recommend her to anyone who wants to visit!!

05 September 2025

Immersive Musee D’Orsay Tour
Fran F 2 contributions

Immersive Musee D’Orsay Tour

Our guide Ivana was beyond AMAZING. She was incredibly informative, interesting, and engaging. Her depth of knowledge of art and history was truly remarkable. I could have listened to her speak for a 1,000 hours!! Highly recommended!!

05 September 2025

5 star tour
Leslye W 66 contributions

5 star tour

Ivana P. Was an excellent guide with a small group through the Musee d’Orsay today! She is so knowledgeable about the themes which run through the Impressionist era! Showed many photos she has taken of paintings and the actual locales where the painters worked! Very special guide- 5 star!

05 September 2025

Isson
Dale loeffler 8 contributions

Isson

Isson was very knowledgable and passionate about the artists and their paintings. I learned so much and really understood the progression we saw in each period of art.Thank you, well done!!!

09 September 2025

Great tour of Musee D’Orsay
Miranda29 18 contributions

Great tour of Musee D’Orsay

Took a tour with Iasson of Musee d’Orsay.Iasson was very thorough and knowledgeable, given a complete overview of the history of the building, the artists movements and artists, highlighting a number of different paintings. Would highly recommend him.

12 September 2025

FAQ's

No, as the museum is large, locating the guide inside is challenging. The guide will meet you at the designated meeting point and accompany the group inside. However, you are welcome to stay in the museum after the tour ends!

Please inform your guide as soon as possible. As this is a semi-private tour, it must start on time. If your tour is ticketed, the guide will reply to your message with the tickets so you can enter the museum or monument on your own and try to join the guide inside if possible. Please note that once the tour begins, the guide will not be able to regularly check their phone.

Your guide will have your tickets. As long as you bring proof of ID, the guide's name and number, and arrive at the meeting point on time, the guide will assist you with entry.

Yes, you are welcome to stay in the museum until it closes.

Please let us know immediately by email to babylontoursinfo@gmail.com or by texting or calling +1 917 999 0380. Our refund policy does not cover medical issues that arise within 24 hours of the tour's start. In such cases, please contact your travel insurance provider. We can provide a document confirming you were unable to attend.

Please let us know immediately by email to babylontoursinfo@gmail.com or by texting or calling +1 917 999 0380 . Our refund policy does not cover transportation issues within 24 hours of the tour's start. In such cases, please contact your travel insurance provider. We can provide a document confirming you were unable to attend.

Please arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled start time.

Your guide will be wearing a Babylon badge on a Babylon lanyard. They will also reach out to you on the morning of the tour to confirm the meeting point.

No, Viator is a booking platform and Online Travel Agent. They sell our tours, but we are Babylon Tours, a Tour Operator currently offering tours in 12 major cities worldwide!

Your guide will reach out to you the morning of the tour by text and email. Please ensure you have provided your correct telephone number (including country code) and email beforehand. Please be sure to check your SPAM folder if you don't see the email in your inbox.

Yes! All tickets for the permanent collection are included and organized by Babylon Tours.

Yes! You can reschedule free of charge if you notify us at least 24 hours before the scheduled start time. For rescheduling within 24 hours, a fee applies to cover guide payments, unused tickets, and company costs (no profit is made on this fee). If you booked through a booking platform like Viator or GetYourGuide, you must reschedule directly with them.

Other tours you might be interested in