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Constructed exactly to the design of three architects, whose
names were Lucien Magne, Emile Benard and Victor Laloux, it was finished in time for the
1900 Exposition Universelle.
It was the terminus for the railways of South Western France until 1939.
But by 1939, because the station had short platforms it had become unsuitable for the
longer trains that had come to be used for mainline services.
So after 1939 it was used for suburban services and part of it became a mailing centre
during World War II.
The station's hotel closed on 1 January 1973.
In 1977 the French Government decided to convert the station into a museum and President
Francois Mitterrand opened the Musee d'Orsay on 1 December 1986.
The Musee d'Orsay, known in English as The Orsay Museum is situated in Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine and holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to
1914. The art works include paintings, sculptures, furniture and photography,
although it is probably best known for its collection of impressionist masterpieces by
popular painters such as Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
Many of these works were held at the Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume prior to the
museum's opening in 1986.
The Musee d'Orsay is closed on a Monday, and is normally crowded on a Tuesday, which is
when The Louvre is closed!
You can see this museum's wonderful offerings comfortably in around 3 hours and it is know
where near as overwhelming as The Louvre.
There are works by other famous and in some case notorious artists, and a couple more you
will no doubt have heard of are Vincent van Gogh and Auguste Rodin.
You will also be pleased to know that photography, even inside the museum is permitted,
but you are not allowed to use a flash!
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