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Institut du Monde Arabe Review

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Institut du Monde Arabe

Fodor's Review:

Jean Nouvel is a master of glass construction; here, at the Institute of the Arab World, he tempers transparency with a mesmerizing façade of variable, irislike apertures that control the light entering the building, evoking a Moorish-style screen. The institute's layout reinterprets the traditional enclosed Arab courtyard. Inside, items largely on loan from Syria and Tunisia present Arab culture from prehistory to the present day, with an emphasis on painting and medicine, but the temporary exhibitions tend to be a bigger draw than the permanent collection. The museum also includes performance spaces, a sound-and-image center, a vast library, and a permanent collection of Arab-Islamic art, textiles, and ceramics. Information in English is limited, but temporary exhibitions usually have English audioguides. Glass elevators whisk you to the ninth floor, where you can sip mint tea in the rooftop café, Le Ziryab, while feasting on one of the best views in Paris.

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