Musee d' Orsay

Built as a Train station in the 19th century, the Musee d'Orsay was remodeled in the 1980's into the finest late 19th century (actually works produced from 1848-1914-bonus points if you know why these dates were chosen) art museum in Paris (personally I would say its the finest in the World)

This is a very popular museum-this is the crowd waiting in line to enter as we were leaving at one pm (the museum opens at 9:30 am).

Photos of the works are not allowed-so these are of the main floor...

and from the fifth floor balcony.

From inside the clock face looking towards Paris across the Seine, shades of Hugo (if you don't get this reference go see this great movie asap).

You can take pictures of the bronze statues outside.  Here are six by Moreau made in 1877, for  l'Exposition de Universelle 1878.  This is Europe...

Oceania,

South America

North America,

Africa,

and Asia. Each is about three meters tall, and anyone want to explain why only Europe has her chest unexposed? 

Now for the bonus answer: 1848 was the date of the start of the short lived 2nd Republic and 1914 was the begining of the Great War (now called World War One).