The Institut du monde arabe occupies the left bank of the Seine at 1 Rue des Fossés Saint-Bernard in the 5th arrondissement, beside Jussieu university. It is a museum, library, concert venue and research center devoted to Arab cultures, and visitors come for its exhibitions and for Jean Nouvel’s celebrated glass-and-steel building, completed in 1987 (source: Institut du monde arabe).
Start with the south façade. Its grid of metal panels reworks the mashrabiya, the traditional latticed window screen, into camera-like diaphragms originally designed to open and close with the daylight. Inside, the permanent collection covers the Arab world from antiquity to contemporary art, including astrolabes, ceramics and calligraphy. Temporary shows change each season, and the current headline is Byblos, the Eternal City (source: Expo Paris). The library, auditorium and regular concerts of Arab music fill out the program. The rooftop terrace is free and looks over the Seine, Île Saint-Louis and Notre-Dame.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
The museum is generally closed on Mondays. Weekday mornings are quietest, and weekend afternoons draw the biggest crowds during major exhibitions. Book exhibition tickets online and check current hours before you go. Take Métro Line 7 to Jussieu or Line 10 to Cardinal Lemoine, or buses 24, 63, 67, 86, 87 or 89 (source: IMA). Afterward, walk ten minutes to the Jardin des Plantes and the Grande Mosquée de Paris for mint tea.
