ARAB WORLD INSTITUTE

Located on the banks of the Seine in the heart of Paris's Latin Quarter, in the ^5th arrondissement, the Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA) is well worth a visit, both for the building itself and for the exhibitions on display. Located on a plot of land belonging to the University of Jussieu, the concrete, steel and glass building was designed in the 1980s by the Jean Nouvel studio and the Architecture Studio agency. It can hardly go unnoticed, consisting of two elegant volumes separated by a narrow gap and surrounding a square patio. The 240 moucharabiehs on the façade have made the building famous and can be opened and closed thanks to their mobile diaphragms, which filter daylight and filter it inside. As for the top floor, partly occupied by a panoramic restaurant and a second dining area, its large terrace offers a superb view of the Seine, Ile Saint-Louis, Ile de la Cité and Notre-Dame-de-Paris - work on which is continuing. In the background, the Eiffel Tower and the dome of the Invalides... Born of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's desire to promote the culture and art of the Arab world in the wake of the 1979 oil crisis, the Institut was intended to mark the start of new exchanges and collaborations. Inaugurated in 1987, its vocation is to disseminate Arab culture in France and promote Franco-Arab exchanges in the fields of science and technology. Its Museums and Exhibitions Department organises temporary exhibitions and manages the permanent museum to promote Arab culture and civilisation. Exhibits include ancient and medieval archaeology, arts and crafts on various themes: cities, expressions of beauty, etc., as well as ethnographic objects (weapons, jewellery, musical instruments, etc.) and contemporary works (paintings, sculptures, photographs, etc.). The Institute also houses an extensive library focusing on contemporary Arab literature, art and the human and social sciences. On the first floor, the café littéraire offers cold drinks, coffee, mint tea, oriental pastries... everything you need for a gourmet break. The Institut also houses a children's media library, a bookshop-boutique, and an auditorium, as well as an Arabic language and civilisation centre offering courses in literal and dialectal Arabic. The content on offer is as fascinating as the architectural setting in which it is housed.