Paris skyline

Today, I visited the Institut du Monde Arabe on the Seine. The large building is admired because of its architecture and intriguing design. It features a combination of modern and traditional Arab and Western styles, representing the Institut's efforts to promote cultural contacts between the Arab world and the West. Designed by Jean Nouvel, the building opened in 1987.

It is a large, glass building with thousands of photoelectrically sensitive apertures, which open and close by electric motors in order to regulate the amount of light and heat that enter through the windows.

You can visit the ninth floor terrace for free, and when I was there at noon, there was only one other woman there. This makes it a great location to enjoy the view of Paris along the Seine, and you can even have tea in the rooftop cafe or return to the ground floor to visit the bookstore.

The Basilica of Sacre Coeur is visible from the terrace, and you can head there for another free skyline view of Paris. Although unlike the Institut du Monde Arabe, Sacre Coeur is crawling with people, including large tour groups, street vendors, and pickpockets.