Presentation/Booking of school groups
The educational team has a wide variety of activities on offer enabling schoolchildren to explore the Museum’s collections and exhibitions in ways that bring them to life, prioritizing contact with works and development of formal, historical and literary approaches so that each child can enjoy an enriching visit suited to their level. While the Museum’s educational objectives are complementary to those of the school, they don’t only target acquisition of notions and references directly connected with programs. Through initiation in museography, restoration of artistic and cultural contexts and practical work, the Museum visit helps hone pupils’ curiosity with regard to heritage and fosters interdisciplinarity.
Find full information on school group visits here.
Training courses in art history for teachers
This program of courses in French is designed for French Ministry of National Education primary, middle and high school teachers.
Sessions are held on Wednesday afternoons and are available to Academic Delegations for Arts and Culture (DAACs), National Education Départemental Services Directorates (DSDENs) and National Higher Institutes for Teaching and Education (INSPÉs).
Special sessions can also be organized on other days, in particular in the context of Academic Training Plans (PAFs).
By its multidisciplinary nature and due to the use made of the Musées d’Orsay and de l’Orangerie’s collections and exhibitions, the program covers artistic creation from 1848 to the 1940s and also extends to contemporary creation on the occasion of related events. The great diversity of artistic movements represented and the variety of production processes and visual means implemented by the artists concerned lead to reflection on ways of depicting reality, figuration and abstraction, rupture and modernity.
Themes of training courses held at the Musée de l’Orangerie (in French)
Around the permanent collections
In discovery of the Musée de l’Orangerie
Objective: discover the Museum’s collections. Understand the uniqueness of Monet’s Water Lilies in his body of work. Through a selection of works by such artists as Matisse, Picasso, Soutine, Rousseau and Derain, get an idea of the scope of the art dealer Paul Guillaume’s collection and his contribution to the understanding of art in the early 20th century.
In Discovery of Claude Monet’s Water Lilies
Objective: explore Claude Monet’s unique Water Lilies project and understand its role in the artist’s approach to his art. Grasp its continuities with the artist’s impressionist work; perceive its formal and aesthetic innovations and how it corresponds with later developments in art in the 20th century.
Travel, cosmopolitanism and African arts
Objective: highlight Paris’ role as cosmopolitan artistic capital in the early 20th century. Give thought to the role of exchanges in development of creativity. Examine the development of new influences in artists’ viewpoints and works during the era of the avant-gardes.
Portraits and Figures
Objective: identify the challenges specific to the portrait genre. Examine the continuities and questionings of the codes of portraiture. More broadly, perceive the importance of redefinition of modes of depicting the human figure at the turn of the 20th century.
Around the temporary exhibitions
In a Blur. Another vision of art, from 1945 to the present day
From April 29 to August 18, 2025
Objective: give thought to the diversity of approaches to reality. Understand the cultural, historical and aesthetic factors that fostered development of imprecision as a choice and visual strategy from 1945 to the present day.
Discover the teacher-training courses on offer at the Musée d’Orsay, organized around its temporary exhibitions and permanent collection.
Practical information
Target audience: teachers at schools or undergoing initial training (grouped booking for 15 to 25 participants).
When? Wednesday afternoons at 2:30 p.m. (unless otherwise stated).
Duration: 2h
Language: French
Access: Free – Education Pass or equivalent professional credentials
Registration: Exclusively via DAACs, DSDENs, INSPÉs, Priority Education Network (REP) and Higher School of Teacher Training and Education(ESPE) coordinators, heads of secondary schools and primary school directors. Lists of registrants (15 participants minimum and 25 maximum) to be communicated at least 3 weeks before the course.
Requests for information via our contact form.
Contact: formation.enseignant@musee-orsay.fr
Resources to prepare your visit
- Access educational resources
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Other resources: teachers, a great deal of content to help with your own training is available on the Musée de l'Orangerie’s YouTube channel.