What Was the Musee d’Orsay Called Before It Was an Art Museum?

Art|Art Museum

The Musee d’Orsay is a world-renowned art museum located in Paris, France. It houses an impressive collection of art from the 19th and 20th centuries including works by renowned painters such as Monet, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Manet. But before it was an art museum, the Musee d’Orsay was known as the Gare d’Orsay.

The Gare d’Orsay was built in 1900 and served as a train station until 1939 when the last train departed its platform. The station was designed in the Beaux-Arts style by Victor Laloux and was originally meant to be a terminal for the Paris-Orleans Railway Company. Its design features an impressive clock tower that still stands to this day along with beautiful interior features that remain intact within the museum walls.

During World War II, the Gare d’Orsay served as a military storage facility before being vacated in 1970 when it was deemed unsuitable for passenger travel due to its narrow platforms. After it became vacant, French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing proposed transforming it into an art museum to house all of France’s 19th century works that had been scattered throughout other museums across Paris. In 1986, after extensive renovations were completed, the Musee d’Orsay opened its doors to visitors from around the world.

The Musee d’Orsay has since become one of Paris’s most popular tourist attractions, drawing millions of visitors each year with its impressive collection of artwork from renowned impressionist painters like Monet and Van Gogh as well as post-impressionists like Gauguin and Matisse.

Conclusion: Before becoming an art museum, the Musee d’Orsay in Paris was known as the Gare d’Orsay – a railway station built in 1900 which served passengers until 1939 when it became a military storage facility during World War II. After becoming vacant in 1970, Valery Giscard d’Estaing proposed transforming it into an art museum which opened its doors to visitors in 1986 and has since become one of Paris’s most popular attractions.