The story
The IMA is located in a building known as the Institut du Monde Arabe, the same name as the institute, on Rue des Fossés Saint Bernard in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, France. Originally, the project was conceived in 1973 by President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. The museum was constructed between 1981 and 1987 under the presidency of François Mitterrand as part of his urban development series known as the Grands Projets. The Institute promotes cooperation and exchanges between France and the Arab nations, particularly in the areas of science and technology, contributing to the understanding between the Arab world and Europe. Libya joined the institute in 1984. The IMA was inaugurated on 30 November 1987 by President Mitterrand.
The IMA is a member of the Forum of Foreign Cultural Institutes in Paris and Exchanges and Radio Productions (EPRA). It is sometimes nicknamed the "Arab Beaubourg", in reference to the Georges Pompidou National Centre for Culture and Art, known as the Beaubourg Centre. The building was renovated between 2014 and 2017; during this time the library was closed, and it reopened to the public in March 2017.
In 2016, the IMA opened a branch in Tourcoing.
The director of the institute is French-Iraqi poet Chawki Abdelamir. French politician Jack Lang was president of the institute from 2013 until his resignation in 2026, after allegations of his financial ties to Jeffrey Epstein were reported. He was replaced by Anne-Claire Legendre, the first female president of the IMA.
From Wikipedia’s article on Institut du monde arabe, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4