Paris · Tuileries · Art museum

Musée de l'Orangerie: Monet's Water Lilies and Tickets

Monet's panoramic Water Lilies are the reason many visitors come, but leave time for the museum's other paintings too. Here is what your admission covers and how to plan it.

By the AllTrips Editorial Team · September 28, 2026

Columned entrance to the Musée de l'Orangerie in the Tuileries Garden — The Musée de l'Orangerie entrance at the western edge of the Tuileries Garden.

Musée de l'Orangerie at a glance

Area: western Tuileries Garden, near Place de la Concorde. Allow: about 1–1.5 hours for the main collection, longer for temporary exhibitions. Entry: ticketed for general admission; check official eligibility for reduced or free entry. Nearby: Tuileries, Concorde and the Louvre area.

This compact art museum makes a focused alternative to a full day at the Louvre. Its setting in the Tuileries is easy to recognise, but the two immersive Water Lilies rooms are indoors: none of the outdoor photos here shows the paintings.

What can you see inside?

Claude Monet's Water Lilies cycle fills two oval galleries. The artist offered the great decoration to the French state after the 1918 Armistice, and the rooms were designed around the paintings. Give yourself unhurried time to take in the changing light and scale rather than treating the visit as a quick photograph stop.

The Walter-Guillaume collection adds nineteenth- and early twentieth-century art beyond Monet. Temporary exhibitions vary; if a particular show is important, check its dates and any separate conditions on the official site before choosing your ticket.

Tickets and admission

The Orangerie is not a generally free museum. The official visitor page lists general admission, reduced rates, free-entry eligibility and a combined Orsay–Orangerie option. Rates and conditions can change. Compare the museum's own ticketing page with the specific Tiqets option you select; check dates, entry conditions and whether any combined ticket is included before paying.

Museum ticket office

Book with the Orangerie

Check current admission prices, eligibility, hours and the museum's own ticket availability.

Official museum tickets

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Orangerie tickets on Tiqets

Browse available museum tickets and related options; confirm the named product and inclusions before booking.

Check Orangerie tickets on Tiqets

The Tiqets button is an affiliate link: AllTrips may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The official museum option is available beside it.

Planning your visit

At the September 2026 review, the official schedule listed Tuesday closed, and 9:00–18:00 on other regular days, with a Friday evening opening during exhibition periods. The official page also lists special closure dates and last admission. Check your date directly with the museum before arranging a ticket, especially if you hope to use a reduced or free-entry entitlement.

Start with the Water Lilies rooms when your attention is fresh, then explore the rest of the collection at your own pace. An admission ticket is for the Orangerie; do not assume it includes the Louvre or another museum unless the selected offer explicitly says so.

The Orangerie and nearby views

Only the opening photograph shows the Orangerie itself. These two additional photographs show the nearby Louvre area, not the Orangerie or Monet's galleries; they are included to help place the museum in central Paris.

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and Louvre complex seen from a road near the Tuileries — Nearby Louvre area: the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and Louvre buildings, not the Musée de l'Orangerie.

Seine footbridge and Louvre palace buildings along the river — The Louvre beside the Seine is a separate museum with separate admission.

What is nearby?

Step into the Tuileries Garden or visit Place de la Concorde nearby. The Louvre is farther along the garden's eastern side, but it needs its own planning and admission. Our Paris attractions map shows how these locations relate.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a ticket for Musée de l'Orangerie?

Generally yes. The museum charges general admission, though reduced and free-entry conditions may apply to eligible visitors. Check the official visitor page for current rates and eligibility.

Are Monet's Water Lilies at the Orangerie?

Yes. Monet's large Water Lilies paintings are displayed in two oval rooms designed for the cycle. The museum also holds the Walter-Guillaume collection.

How long should I allow?

Allow around 1–1.5 hours for the Water Lilies and the collection, and longer if you plan to see a temporary exhibition.

When is the museum closed?

At the September 2026 review, the official museum schedule listed Tuesday as its weekly closing day. Special closure dates and late-opening arrangements can change, so check the official calendar before travel.

Do the photos show Monet's paintings?

No. The first photo shows the Orangerie entrance. The other two show the Louvre area nearby. They do not depict the Water Lilies galleries or promise that photography is allowed in every exhibition.

Official sources

Reviewed September 2026. Museum hours, prices and display arrangements may change; confirm with the museum before travel.