An image display apparatus including a display device for displaying an image by emission of display light in a first direction; a scattering layer disposed in front of the display device, for scattering at least a portion of ambient light; a transparent plate-shaped light source, arranged parallel to the scattering layer and being optically coupled to the scattering layer. The plate-shaped light source may be a passive light source, in which case at least one light source is arranged along an edge of the plate-shaped light source. When the display device is ON, the scattering layer and the plate-shaped light source are transparent. When the display device is OFF, the scattering layer is scattering and the plate-shaped light source is ON.