Institut du Monde Arabe
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Institut du Monde Arabe

Looming over the Pont de Sully is the bold glass and aluminium mass of the Institut du Monde Arabe (Tues–Sun 10am–6pm; www.imarabe.org; M° Jussieu/Cardinal-Lemoine) – a stunning and radical piece of architectural engineering. Designed by the architect of the moment, Jean Nouvel – who went on to design the ambitious Fondation Cartier and the brand new Musée du Quai Branly – its broad southern facade comprises thousands of tiny light-sensitive shutters which modulate the light levels inside while simultaneously mimicking a moucharabiyah, the traditional Arab latticework balcony. Unfortunately, the computer system operating the little steel diaphragms has a habit of crashing so you may not get to see the full effect.

The institute inside is relatively tame, though a few hit exhibitions and concerts pull in the curious, open-minded visitors sought by its creators – the Mitterrand government in collaboration with the Arab League. A sleek permanent museum (€4) begins on the seventh floor, using an array of exquisite artefacts to trace the evolution of the arts and sciences in the Islamic world. The topmost level, dedicated to pre-Islamic finds, is somewhat surprising, as the Carthaginian sculptures and pottery display a distinctively Roman influence, while a beautiful seventh-century Tunisian mosaic hails from an early church. One floor down, brass celestial globes, astrolabes, compasses and sundials illustrate the cutting-edge Arab research that so influenced the West in the Middle Ages, along with illustrated manuscripts, weights and measures, and the grinding and mixing implements for medicines. But the museum's treasures are kept on the lowest floor, with exquisitely crafted ceramics, metalwork and carpets from all over the Muslim world – from Spain to Central Asia.

On other levels there are a library and multimedia centre for scholars, a space for temporary exhibitions, a specialist bookshop that sells good Arab music CDs, and an auditorium for regular films and concerts, often featuring leading performers from the Arab world. Up on the ninth floor, the terrace offers brilliant views over the Seine towards the apse of Notre-Dame. At the adjacent café-restaurant you can drink mint tea and nibble on cakes; for something more substantial there's the self-service restaurant Moucharabiyah where you can tuck into a plate of couscous while marvelling at the aperture action of the windows.

Walking back west along boulevard St-Germain towards boulevard St-Michel, you pass rue de Pontoise with its Art-Deco swimming pool and primary school, and place Maubert, which has a good food market on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings.

Just past place Maubert, the ugly modern police building houses the Musée de la Préfecture de Police, at 1bis rue des Carmes. The history of the Paris police force, as presented in this collection of uniforms, arms and papers, is dry stuff, but the murder weapons used by legendary criminals may titillate, and voluntarily walking into a working Paris police station has its own peculiar frisson.

Further south, the Paris mosque makes an obvious next destination.