Arab World Institute

The Institut du Monde Arabe is a cultural institution in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, founded under President Giscard d'Estaing in 1980 and opened in 1987. Despite its educational mandate, it is best known as an architectural icon: Jean Nouvel designed a south facade of 240 square aluminium panels whose mechanical diaphragms open and close like camera apertures, translating the traditional Arab mashrabiya into a modern mechanical language. The permanent collection spans Islamic art from the 9th century to the present, with temporary shows that often set the bar - notably the major Hajj exhibition of 2014. The roof terrace, with views over Notre-Dame and the Latin Quarter, is one of the best free vantage points in Paris.