Musee+d'Orsay

Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay is a museum on the left bank of the Seine in Paris. Originally built to be a beaux-arts railway station in the nineteenth century, the museum was converted into a museum in the 1986. Mainly holding impressionist art from artists such as Monet and Van Gogh, today the Musée d'Orsay is one of the most visited museums in the world. It was designed primarily by three architects; Lucien Magne, Émile Bérnard, and Victor Laloux. The then Gare d'Orsay was the terminus of all of the railways in southern France until 1939. After 1939, the building became unfit for use by modern trains, and it was used as a mailing center in World War II. In 1970, the station was given the okay for demolition. but Jacques Duhamel (Minister of Cultural Affairs at the time) had a different plan in mind. He wanted the old railway station to be turned into an art museum, meant to bridge the period gap between the ancient works of the Louvre and the modern art of the Centre de Pompideau. The project was accepted, and the museum opened to the public in December of 1986.

The museum since its conception has changed a fair amount in terms of layout. Since its 2009/2010 renovation, the museum now features many more kinds of art, extending from simply impressionism, although this movement remains at the center of the museum's focus. Today, the Museum holds various exhibitions with equally various themes throughout each year. Its diverse selections, including specific areas set aside for themes such as photographic displays, restored art, and a section dedicated to the city of Paris itself, attract roughly 3 million visitors annually. It is one of the most-visited and well-recognized museums in France, and is one of the top ten most visited museums in the world.

The impact of the Musée d'Orsay is immense, not only in terms of the artwork kept there, but also in terms of the arts in France. The museum cemented the identity of Paris in the arts, as it bridged the time gap between the other two largest museums in that country, which gives visitors to Paris the opportunity to travel through time in France through art. Its central focus being Impressionism is also very important, as the Impressionists during their time were not typically well received. Having a museum dedicated to these masters of their style increases their legitimacy in the art world, and their place within the artistic canon.