Paris Museums: Louvre and Musee d'Orsay

Any trip to Paris seems incomplete without a chance to admire the masterpieces of great artists.  The city's museums are some of the most well-known in the world with some of the most famous works of art. 

During my week in Paris, I took advantage of this by checking out the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay.  Even better, they were both free! As a young person between the ages of 18-25 who is currently living in the E.U., I was given free access to the museums with a simple flash of the visa in my passport. Can't beat that!

The Musee d'Orsay prides itself on its impressionist works, which is one of my favorite styles.  Van Gogh, Monet, and Degas are some of the big names there.  I also loved the main hall full of sculptures, mostly in marble.  While much can be said for the pieces of art inside the museum, the building itself is also incredibly beautiful.  It was an old train station in the heart of Paris that was converted into a place to house the great masterpieces.  The architecture and decoration of the building are interesting in itself.

 The Louvre is of course also one of the biggest museums in the world.  After spending over five hours at the Musee d'Orsay and running out of time in Paris, my traveling companion and I only had the time to roam through one wing of the museum.  Even in the one wing, multiple floors and sections had us confused and turned around with the endless pieces of art.  It is definitely a place to return to and see again... I'm not sure if I'll ever have time enough to appreciate every piece of art in the mammoth museum.