From the first internal combustion engine to the technologies of tomorrow, the Grimaldi Forum will retrace more than a century of Monaco’s enduring relationship with the automobile in 2026.
From 1 July 2026, Monaco & the Automobile, from 1893 to the Present Day will occupy more than 3,500 square metres at the Grimaldi Forum, with a clear ambition: to tell the story of the relationship between Monaco and the automobile from a fresh perspective.
“Monaco has a truly unique relationship with the automobile. Here, the car goes far beyond its technical function: it forms part of the history, image and identity of the Principality,” explains curator Rodolphe Rapetti.
Everything began in 1893 with the arrival in the Principality of a Panhard & Levassor Type P2D. It was a pioneering moment. Monaco was quick to experiment with, test and embrace these new forms of mobility. A few years later, the Principality became both a stage and an arena. From the first automobile elegance competitions held around the Casino in 1897, to the creation of the Monte-Carlo Rallye in 1911 and the Monaco Grand Prix from 1929 onwards, the automobile became an integral part of both the landscape and the story of Monaco.
“In Monaco, racing runs through the city; it is part of it. This proximity creates a unique relationship between the cars, the drivers and the public.”
Rodolphe Rapetti, curator of Monaco & the Automobile.
The exhibition brings together 55 vehicles: original models that competed in races or are associated with defining moments in Monaco’s automotive history. Among them are a Bugatti Type 35B, the first winner of the Monaco Grand Prix; a Morris Mini Cooper S, an icon of the Monte-Carlo Rally; and more recent single-seaters, right up to Formula E. The selection has been carefully curated to showcase the cars that left their mark on successive eras.
Monaco & Automobile also shines a spotlight on drivers, notably the Monegasques Louis Chiron and Charles Leclerc, each of whom embodies, in his own way, the deep connection between Monaco and motor racing. “Drivers occupy a central place because the history of the automobile is also a human story. Behind every car are individual journeys, risks taken, moments of success and moments of uncertainty,” explains the automotive historian.
