“Monaco & the Automobile, from 1893 to the Present Day” Now at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco

Historical, aesthetic, cultural, and technological, “Monaco & the Automobile, from 1893 to the Present Day” exhibition tells the story of Monaco as much as it tells the story of the automobile, from its first test drives to its future lunar horizons. Inaugurated on June 30 in the presence of H.S.H. Prince Albert II, the Grimaldi Forum Monaco’s major summer exhibition is now open to the public until September 6, 2026.

The opening night brought together nearly 500 guests, including the exhibition’s curator, Rodolphe Rapetti, numerous lenders—institutions and private collectors from Europe and the United States—as well as several leading figures from the automotive world. Among those present were Bernie Ecclestone, Michel Boeri, Jean Alesi, Thierry Boutsen, Daniel Elena, Ari Vatanen, Guy Fréquelin, Jean-Pierre Nicolas, and Gilles Valérian.

Spanning over 3,500 square meters, “Monaco & the Automobile, from 1893 to the Present Day” offers an immersive experience into more than 130 years of history between the Principality and the automobile.

More than 50 authentic vehicles, all linked to Monaco, tell a story where elegance, innovation, performance, prestige, and collective memory intertwine.

The exhibition traces the origins of this Monegasque passion: the Concours d’Élégance from the late 19th century, the Monte Carlo Rally from 1911, and then the Monaco Grand Prix from 1929.

Thanks to the invaluable support of the Automobile Club de Monaco, the exhibition brings together exceptional, often previously unseen, archives, as well as numerous documents, photographs, and videos that allow visitors to see these cars in action.

Among the highlights is the Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith from the wedding of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly in 1956, on loan from an American collector who has owned it for over forty years.

The exhibition also features rally cars, Grand Prix single-seaters, a Venturi Formula E car, a model of the Monaco circuit, and a tribute to Monegasque drivers Louis Chiron and Charles Leclerc.

The exhibition concludes with a dialogue between past and future: on one side, a Panhard & Levassor that participated in the 1893 Paris-Nice race and traveled to Monaco, a pioneer in early experiments with paved roads; on the other, the MONA LUNA lunar rover, developed by Venturi Space, designed to travel on the Moon by 2030.