50 emblematic vehicles at the Grimaldi Forum’s new monograph exhibition tell the Principality’s automotive history over the past 130 years.
From the arrival of the first automobile in Monaco in the outgoing 19th century to today’s advances in motorsport and space exploration, the Principality has long been linked to automotive innovation and performance. It has served both as a testing ground and as an international stage, with the creation of major automotive events. And it has proven its technical ingenuity. The Grimaldi Forum’s new summer exhibition, Monaco & the Automobile, from 1893 to the Present Day, traces the course of this relationship through 50 legendary vehicles that chart the evolution of the automobile from early models to contemporary technologies. Objects, images and immersive scenography complement this fascinating journey through the Principality’s automotive history. The show runs through 6 September.
Among the 20 Monte-Carlo Rally cars and 30 Grand Prix single-seaters are the Bugatti 35B that won the first Monaco Grand Prix in 1929 and the Ferrari driven by Charles Leclerc to victory in 2024. Rally highlights include icons like the Mini Cooper S and the Lancia Stratos HF. All vehicles are authentic competition models, many of them winners in Monaco’s major events, assembled from international collections. The exhibition also looks ahead, with a Venturi Formula E car and the MONA LUNA rover, designed for future lunar exploration.
MONA LUNA
2025
Venturi Space
Design : Sacha Lakic
© Venturi / Romero
Designed as a historical, aesthetic and sensory experience by premier exhibition scenographer William Chatelain, this is, above all, a celebration of the exceptional machines themselves but also of Monaco’s technological ingenuity. But beyond that it also offers an intriguing insight into the emotional ties between humans and engines, and bridges the gap between elite society and technology. Organised as a journey across 3,500 m² rather than a chronology, the exhibition walks the visitor through key moments.
Monaco: Image and International Influence
The exhibition opens with one of the most iconic moments in the contemporary history of the Principality: the wedding of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly in 1956. The Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith used for the occasion illustrates the role of the automobile in shaping Monaco’s international image. Through this widely publicised event, luxury cars become an integral part of the Principality’s aesthetic and global influence, combining elegance, protocol and representation.
Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith
1953
Anne Brockinton Lee, Robert M. Lee Automobile Collection
© 2026 Robert M.Lee Trust. All rights reserved
Monaco: A Technological Laboratory
A jump back in time: from the late 19th century onwards, the Principality established itself as a pioneering territory in the field of mobility. Under the impetus of Prince Albert I of Monaco, the Principality very early encouraged technical innovation, notably through the first experiments with paved roads at the beginning of the 20th century. This context fostered the emergence of a territory where technical experimentation, new uses and the rapid dissemination of automotive innovation intersect.
Elegance on Display
At the turn of the 20th century, Monte-Carlo became an international showcase for the automobile with the organisation of concours d’élégance from 1897 onwards. Held around the Casino, these events brought together the most refined models and European elites, establishing the automobile as an aesthetic object at the crossroads of design, art and luxury.
The Monte-Carlo Rally
Fiat 131 Abarth
Walter Röhrl et Christian Geistdörfer sur Fiat 131 lors du Rallye Monte-Carlo 1980.
Archives de l’Automobile Club de Monaco
Created in 1911, the Monte-Carlo Rally introduced a new vision of motor racing. Crews converged on Monaco from across Europe, facing demanding routes and often extreme weather conditions. Through a selection of iconic vehicles and archival materials, this section conveys the intensity of a competition where technical mastery is constantly challenged by the elements.
The Monaco Grand Prix
Since 1929, the Monaco Grand Prix has transformed the city into a racing circuit. Streets become the track, façades become grandstands, and the harbour provides a spectacular backdrop. This unique circuit, faithful to its original spirit, demands exceptional precision from drivers and gives the race a singular intensity, making Monaco one of the most iconic events in global motorsport.
McLaren MP4/8
1993
Collection Sebastian Vettel
© Bonhams|Cars-Simon Clay
Famous Monegasque Racing Drivers
The exhibition also highlights major Monegasque figures in motorsport. From Louis Chiron, one of the most venerated F1 pilots of the 20th century, to Charles Leclerc, the contemporary embodiment of this tradition, these careers illustrate the deep bond between the Principality and motor racing. (And although he never participated in an F1 race himself, HSH Prince Albert II is an ardent motorsports fan who does not leave an opportunity go by to drive vintage cars or test new technology models.)
1893 / 2026
The exhibition ends with the presentation of an 1893 Panhard & Levassor, bookended on the other side by the Venturi Space lunar rover MONA LUNA, co-developed with Monaco’s participation and designed to operate at the Moon’s South Pole by 2030. It also addresses contemporary challenges, featuring a Venturi Formula E single-seater, reflecting new technological and energy directions in motorsport. This striking juxtaposition connects the Monegasque origins of automobile technology with the future of mobility.
Courtesy Grimaldi Forum Monaco
In an interview, renowned curator Rodolphe Rapetti explains his vision and the exhibition’s concept and meaning.
Why dedicate an exhibition to the automobile in Monaco?
Monaco has a truly unique relationship with the automobile. Here, the car goes far beyond its technical function: it contributes to the history, identity and imagination of the Principality. Between the Monte-Carlo Rally and the Grand Prix, Monaco has become a focal point for global automotive culture, where innovation, prestige and performance converge.
There have been other landmark exhibitions around the theme of automobiles. How does this one differ?
We wanted to move beyond a purely technical or chronological approach. The exhibition considers the automobile from multiple perspectives: historical, of course, but also aesthetic, cultural and emotional. The automobile can thus be viewed as a true work of art, at the intersection of design, engineering and imagination.
We also paid particular attention to the authenticity of the vehicles presented: these are not similar models, but the actual cars themselves – those that raced, and often won. In Monaco, racing runs through the city, it is part of it. This proximity creates a unique relationship between cars, drivers and the public, which we sought to convey throughout the exhibition.
Why is the Monaco Grand Prix so unique?
B.R.M. P-578
1962
Courtesy of Revs Institute Naples, Florida © Peter Harholdt / Revs Institute
The Monaco Grand Prix is unique, notably because it has been held on city streets since 1929. Unlike most circuits, it has never been standardised and retains a demanding layout, faithful to its original spirit, requiring extreme concentration from drivers. Beyond its technical characteristics, it is also a singular experience: the city becomes a backdrop, almost a stage, and the race takes on a dimension that goes beyond sport alone.
What role do drivers play in the exhibition?
Drivers play a central role, as motorsport is also a human adventure. Behind each car are personal stories, risks taken, moments of success and uncertainty. We chose to highlight key figures, particularly Monegasque drivers Louis Chiron and Charles Leclerc, who each embody the deep connection between Monaco and motor racing.
What do you hope visitors will take away from the exhibition?
I would like visitors to feel that, in Monaco, the automobile is far more than an object or a sport. It exists within a unique setting, between sea and city, where history, emotion and collective memory intertwine. If the exhibition succeeds in conveying both this richness and intensity, then it will have fully achieved its aim.
Video via GrimaldiForumMonaco on YouTube
Powerful F1 bolides roaring through the winding streets of Monte-Carlo, majestic Rolls-Royces parked near the casino, or sleek sports cabriolets hugging the tight bends of the surrounding hills… Monaco and the automobile are an emblematic, inseparable unit. The exhibition therefore purposely tells the story carefully but open-ended. Each vehicle and each object adds another layer to Monaco’s long relationship with the automobile, while also pointing beyond it. By placing the first car to arrive in the Principality alongside vehicles and projects linked to future mobility, it leaves visitors with a sense of continuity between what Monaco has been and what it continues to help shape.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Monaco et l’Automobile – de 1893 à nos jours
Grimaldi Forum Monaco, Espace Ravel | From 1 July to 6 September, 2026
Open daily from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm – evening visits: Thursdays until 10:00 pm (exceptionally closed on Saturday, 22 August).
Ticket price: €15, concessions available | Detailed ticket booking information here
VENUE DETAILS
Grimaldi Forum Monaco
Espace Ravel
10 Av. Princesse Grace
98000 Monaco
Tel: +377 99 99 20 00
PHOTO CREDITS
- All photos and images courtesy Grimaldi Forum Monaco and as credited
- Lead image McLaren MP4/8 – La McLaren MP4/8 d’Ayrton Senna lors du Grand Prix de Monaco en 1993. © Jean-Marc Folleté-Dupuits
- Video as credited
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