If you should find yourself in Paris and not able to visit the famous Louvre, then you might stroll down the Rue de Lille and go to the Musée d'Orsay. It's one of the largest and most exciting art museums in the world, home to some of the most brilliant paintings and sculptures, many of which were produced in France in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

Originally, the building itself was a railway station known as the Gare d'Orsay, but it was no longer suitable for modern trains around 1939. Then, in 1978, after the site was listed as a historic monument, a team of architects were given a challenge to redesign the building into a museum. The project took years to complete and the Musée d'Orsay officially opened in December 1986. The interior of the museum still bears signs of the original railway station, such as the large central nave with the curved glass ceiling.

The Musée d'Orsay contains paintings and sculptures from some of the finest Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists. Some of the most notable artists on display include Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat, Camille Pissarro, Henri Toulouse de Lautrec, Odilon Redon, and Paul Gauguin. If you're looking for a celebrated artwork to enjoy, then here is where you can see such pieces as The Church at Auvers by van Gogh, Whistler's Mother, Expulsion from Paradise by Franz von Stuck, and Summer Night by Winslow Homer.

If you wish to visit the Musée d'Orsay, then you should appreciate the following facts:

• The museum draws approximately 2 million visitors every year, so there's always a crowd
• The "low" season in Paris spans from November to March
• Separate lines are established for visitors without tickets, visitors with tickets, and visitors with Carte Blanche membership
• Individual and group tours are recommended for first-time visitors (such as the Masterpiece Tour and the 19th Century Art Tour)
• New exhibits are always being installed in addition to the permanent collection of art, as well as concerts, film screenings, and art festivals

For a trip to the Musée d'Orsay, you don't need to know French or a single thing about Impressionist masterpieces. All that's required is that you come with a curious mind and a desire to experience beauty.

Image by Dimitry B. on Flickr