Orangerie Museum

The Musee de l'Orangerie occupies the western corner of the Tuileries Gardens beside the Place de la Concorde. Built as the palace orangery in 1852, the glasshouse was converted into a museum in 1927, primarily to display Claude Monet's final masterpiece: the eight panoramic Water Lilies panels he gave to the French state as a memorial to peace after the First World War. The two oval rooms were designed to his specifications and remain one of the most immersive Impressionist experiences in Europe. The lower floor holds the Walter-Guillaume collection, with paintings by Cezanne, Renoir, Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani and Soutine. The museum is open daily except Tuesday and is quietest first thing in the morning.