Detail: Europe and Asia have had close relations for thousands of years. Commercial and political networks developed both on land - via the Silk Road - and on sea. Conquerors like Alexander the Great, Attila, and Genghis Khan set out in search of glory, wealth, and power; travellers like Marco Polo, Zheng He, and Magellan were fascinated by riches, silk, spices, porcelain. Trade opened the way for the spread of major religious and philosophical trends, inexhaustible sources of inspirations for art and culture. This exhibition draws on the treasures of twenty different countries to highlight 2,500 years of exchanges between Asia and Europe. Both the exhibition and a festival will coincide with the Asia-Europe Meeting 2010 summit.