Architecture Days 2026: Thematic tours at the Arab World Institute

On the occasion of the new edition of Architecture Days, the Institut du Monde Arabe is organizing a range of activities to help us better understand the venue’s stunning architecture, on 17 and 18 October 2026.

Architecture is all around us in everyday life: houses, apartments, bridges, monuments, museums... Yet we don’t always notice these scenes we pass by, and that’s a mistake! The event of the Journées nationales de l'Architecture invites us to rediscover the world around us, to visit treasures or curiosités architecturales, and to learn more about the diverse professions in this field, to highlight architecture in the capital and its region.

Every October, a host of fascinating venues open their doors to architecture enthusiasts for tours or special activities. For this year’s edition, the Journées nationales de l'Architecture will run from October 15 to 18, 2026.

We’re taking this opportunity to rediscover the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris. Opened in 1987 in the 5th arrondissement, this splendid museum has become a cornerstone of the capital for a deeper understanding of the Arabic language and culture, with concerts, humor festivals, lectures, temporary exhibitions that are both educational and timely, and a permanent collection.

The building stands out with its decorative, ever-changing façade, and the IMA invites us to learn more about it during its Thematic Days on 17 and 18 October.

National Architecture Days 2026: the lineup for this edition is unveiled
The National Architecture Days return on October 17 and 18, 2026, in Paris and the Île-de-France region. Over the full weekend, you'll have the chance to visit unusual and historic sites, while taking part in workshops and talks with architects. Here's a preview of what awaits... [Read more]

The Architecture Days 2026 program at the IMA:

Guided Tour | IMArchitecture
On the occasion of the National Architecture Days, the Institut du Monde Arabe invites you to tour its building.

The IMA building is a work of art designed in the 1980s by Jean Nouvel, Gilbert Lézénès, Pierre Soria and Architecture Studio. A visit invites you to observe the main elements drawn from traditional Arab architecture and to understand how they have been reinterpreted by contemporary architecture, in a dialogue between East and West.
Eligibility: Free | Booking required - https://billetterie.imarabe.org/selection/timeslotpass?productId=10229996955492>mStepTracking=true
Schedule: Saturday, October 17, 2026 — 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. | Sunday, October 18, 2026 — 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Promenade-conférence | The Historic Arab Paris
On the occasion of the National Architecture Days, the Arab World Institute (IMA) invites you to join an architectural and urban walk through the heart of the 5th arrondissement.

This walking tour and lecture in the 5th arrondissement offers a vivid look at the close ties between the Arab world and France. The IMA is the starting point, with the route culminating at the Grande Mosquée de Paris.

### The itinerary

A four-stop journey lasting about 3 hours, full of discoveries:

* The IMA, whose mission is to showcase the Arab world, is the starting point. Its contemporary-architecture building embodies the dialogue between Western and Arab cultures.

* The tour continues in front of the Collège de France and the Sorbonne, recalling the early Arabic studies under François I and, in the 18th century and during the Empire, the French curiosity about the Orient.

* Then, before one of Paris’s oldest churches, Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre, we will discuss the places of worship of Arab Christians in France.

* We’ll recall Paris’s enduring allure for the Arab world, the presence of reformers and Arab scholars in the district in the 19th century, and the debates that stirred them. It is here that the first printing presses and the first Arabic-language newspapers in France were born. Today’s Arab booksellers are their heirs.

* The promenade finishes with a visit to the Mosquée de Paris.

Attention! This is a walking tour through the streets of Paris. Not all spaces are accessible to wheelchair users.
Participation terms: Free | Reservation required - https://billetterie.imarabe.org/selection/timeslotpass?productId=10229996955493>mStepTracking=true
Schedule: Saturday, October 17, 2026 — 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM