ART: Louvre, Orsay & Pompidou

The Louvre Museum - Paris

The Louvre Museum is the largest museum of France, houses collections of western art from the middle Ages to 1850. This museum also houses the antique civilizations divided in to eight departments: Oriental Antiquities, Islamic Art, Egyptian Antiquities, Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities. A section here is devoted to history of the Louvre which includes the medieval moats erected by Philippe Auguste in 1190.

Address: Cour Napoleon, A.P. 34, 36 quai du Louvre
Opening hours: Open: Museum: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. - Pyramid: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. - Museum late night opening: Monday (Richelieu Wing) and Wednesday: 9.45 p.m. Closed: Tuesday and holidays.
Phone: +33 (0)1 40 20 53 17


The Orsay Museum - Paris

The French government, on the eve of the 1900 World's Fair planned to build a central terminus on the site of the ruined Palais d'Orsay. Orsay station was the head of the southwestern French railroad network, from 1900 to 1939 and in 1977 the official decision to build the Musée d'Orsay was taken. This Paris museum shows the artistic creation of the western world from 1848 to 1914.

Address : 62, rue de Lille
Opening hours : The museum is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9.30am to 6pm and on Thursdays from 9.30am to 9.45pm
Phone : +33 (0)1 40 49 48 14

The Centre Pompidou - Paris

The Centre Pompidou, also called Beaubourg, took birth in February 1977 to focus on all forms of modern and contemporary creation: sculpture, painting, books, cinema, video, performances, music, etc. The museum holds performances (theater, dance, and music), cinema, symposia and debates, and publications.

Address: Place Georges Pompidou
Opening hours: The Centre Pompidou is open every day from 11am to 10pm, except Tuesdays and May 1.
Phone: Standard: +33 (0)1 44 78 12 33 (recorded message, Sundays and public holidays, and from 7.30pm)