A head-up display with shutter to provide dark background for display

A head-up display 200 enables a user 112 to view a light emitting display 102 and an ambient environment simultaneously by means of a shutter 202. The display comprises a light-transmissive block 104 allowing the transmission of light 110 from the ambient environment to the user's eye through the block 104 from a first surface to a second surface opposing the first surface. A light emitting display 102 is located on a third surface of the block, the third surface being substantially perpendicular to the first and second surfaces. A beam splitter 106 has a plane surface arranged at substantially 45 degrees to the first and second surfaces, so as to reflect light from the light emitting display 102 through the second surface. A shutter 202 is located on the first surface and is adapted to block the transmission of light from the ambient environment to the user's eye. This provides a dark background for the light emitting display 102. The shutter 202 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an optical modulator. A mirror 108 may also be located on a fourth surface of the block 104.