The Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay face each other across the Seine, a short walk apart, so you can see both in one long day. The Marmottan is in the west of the city.
Musée du Louvre
The world's most visited museum, in a former royal palace on the Right Bank of the Seine. I. M. Pei's glass pyramid entrance opened in 1989.
- Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1503 to 1506
- The Oath of the Horatii, Jacques-Louis David, 1784 to 1785
- Grande Odalisque, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1814
- The Raft of the Medusa, Théodore Géricault, 1818 to 1819
- Liberty Leading the People, Eugène Delacroix, 1830
Musée d'Orsay
Housed in a former railway station on the Left Bank of the Seine, it has the world's largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings.
- The Gleaners, Jean-François Millet, 1857
- The Angelus, Jean-François Millet, 1857 to 1859
- Olympia, Édouard Manet, 1863
- Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe, Édouard Manet, 1863
- Whistler's Mother, James McNeill Whistler, 1871
- Bal du moulin de la Galette, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1876
- Starry Night Over the Rhône, Vincent van Gogh, 1888
- The Bedroom, Vincent van Gogh, 1888 A later version of the painting (1889)
Musée Marmottan Monet
A mansion in the 16th arrondissement, near the Bois de Boulogne, with the largest collection of works by Claude Monet.
- Impression, Sunrise, Claude Monet, 1872
At a glance
| Painting | Artist | Date | Size | Museum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mona Lisa | Leonardo da Vinci | c. 1503 to 1506 | 79.4 × 53.4 cm | Musée du Louvre |
| The Oath of the Horatii | Jacques-Louis David | 1784 to 1785 | 330 × 425 cm | Musée du Louvre |
| Grande Odalisque | Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres | 1814 | 91 × 162 cm | Musée du Louvre |
| The Raft of the Medusa | Théodore Géricault | 1818 to 1819 | 491 × 716 cm | Musée du Louvre |
| Liberty Leading the People | Eugène Delacroix | 1830 | 260 × 325 cm | Musée du Louvre |
| The Gleaners | Jean-François Millet | 1857 | 83.5 × 110 cm | Musée d'Orsay |
| The Angelus | Jean-François Millet | 1857 to 1859 | 55.5 × 66 cm | Musée d'Orsay |
| Olympia | Édouard Manet | 1863 | 130.5 × 191 cm | Musée d'Orsay |
| Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe | Édouard Manet | 1863 | 208 × 264.5 cm | Musée d'Orsay |
| Whistler's Mother | James McNeill Whistler | 1871 | 144.3 × 163 cm | Musée d'Orsay |
| Bal du moulin de la Galette | Pierre-Auguste Renoir | 1876 | 131 × 175 cm | Musée d'Orsay |
| Starry Night Over the Rhône | Vincent van Gogh | 1888 | 72 × 92.1 cm | Musée d'Orsay |
| Impression, Sunrise | Claude Monet | 1872 | 48 × 63 cm | Musée Marmottan Monet |
Before you go
Big museums rehang rooms and lend paintings to exhibitions, so a famous work can be away when you visit. Check each museum's website for opening hours, tickets and whether a painting is on view. Gallery numbers above come from the museum's own published data where available.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most famous paintings in Paris?
Mona Lisa, The Oath of the Horatii, Grande Odalisque, The Raft of the Medusa, Liberty Leading the People, The Gleaners, The Angelus, Olympia, Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe, Whistler's Mother, Bal du moulin de la Galette, Starry Night Over the Rhône, Impression, Sunrise.
Which museums in Paris have the most famous paintings?
Musée du Louvre (5 on our list), Musée d'Orsay (8 on our list), Musée Marmottan Monet (1 on our list).
Sources: museum collection records and Wikidata, listed on each painting's page. Checked October 17, 2026. How we check.