The Louvre Museum has decided to build a new wing to house its incredible collection of Islamic Art, which until recently, was seldom shown to the public. The extension is called the Veil. According to the British daily The Guardian, it acts as a giant glass Muslim headscarf in the Middle of Paris. A “luminous veil” that will “float’ above the ground, covering two floors of exhibition space, explain its Italian architects, Mario Bellini and Rudy Ricciotti.

The first stone for the new wing was laid last month by President Nicolas Sarkozy, to symbolize France’s friendship with the Arab world. If all goes well, the project will be completed by 2010. It will house the biggest collection of Islamic Art in Europe and cost the French government no less than $ 140 million, of which roughly $ 20 million will be paid by Prince al Waleed bin Talal.

Until its completion, you can visit the Louvre’s Islamic collection (though not all of what you will see in 2010) or the terrific Richard Serra show – on this summer.

www.louvre.fr