The museum was designed by a famous architect called I.M. Pei, who was inspired by the shapes found in traditional Islamic architecture – squares, octagons, and arches layered on top of each other. The building rises five storeys and is surrounded by calm water on three sides, so it seems to float.
Inside there are more than 8,000 objects: gold jewellery, painted manuscripts, carved wood, glittering ceramics, and silks from countries stretching from Spain all the way to China. Each one was made by a skilled artist whose name we may never know but whose work has lasted centuries.
The atrium – the inside space in the centre – is spectacular. Sunlight pours in through tall windows and bounces off geometric patterns on the walls. Children who visit often describe it as feeling like standing inside a kaleidoscope.