musee de l'Orangerie
 

Here is a copy of a response I got from the Museum secretary, himself or herself as the case may be.

If I read this right, it says its is closed. Don't bother to ask until the end of 2005.
It might open in 2006 but the date is unknown.

I know many of you read French as well as you read English, so you might give this epistle a better English rendidition. But I think the essential essage is clear.

The museum is closed and no opening date has been set. It might reopen in 2006 and it might not. I hope I live that long.
En réponse à votre mel, je vous informe que le musée de l'Orangerie, est fermé au public pour travaux de rénovation
et qu'il ne rouvrira ses portes qu'en 2006
(date inconnue) .
Merci de prendre contact avec nous fin 2005.
Bonne réception et bien à vous.
Le secrétariat

My translation Bob, is

In response to your request, the Orangerie Museum is closed to the public for renovation and will not reopen until some time in 2006, date unknown or unspecified. You may contact us toward the end of 2005 (for further info).

Unions must be involved - getting paid by the hour and must have one worker for each brick removed. I wouldn't bet on 2006.

My understanding was that it's not just slow work. Didn't they unearth some ancient wall or relic during renovations that drastically changed their plans?

My understanding is that an ancient wall was discovered. How it remained hidden, or undetected, or unreported, when the museum was first built is beyond me. I saw a report that said something about the digging for the enlargement of the museum found a wall that is thought to have built in the age of Louis IX.

I could find nothing about what was found and why the delay is so long.
All of it is clouded in secrecy it seems.
No official web sites says in effect:
We found a wall of important archaelogical status. The museum will be closed while we evaluate the discovery.

According to Architectural Record, "In August (2003), as construction crews began to excavate, they ran into the stone wall built by Charles IX (1550-1574) to enclose his palace and gardens, forcing a delay in underground construction. At this point (Dec 2003), no decision has been made as to whether the wall is so important that the design must be radically changed, or if the architects can somehow work the wall--which would cut diagonally across the gallery space--into the new design, much as I.M. Pei did in the Louvre, where ancient walls are clearly visible along underground corridors."