MONACO AND THE AUTOMOBILE, FROM 1893 TO THE PRESENT DAY

A dive into 130 years of automotive history

Spanning 3,500 m², the exhibition “Monaco and the Automobile, from 1893 to the Present Day” will bring together around fifty emblematic vehicles, including more than 20 cars that won the Monaco Grand Prix or the Monte-Carlo Rally, alongside items from the Princely Family and previously unseen archives from the Automobile Club de Monaco.

A major cultural and heritage event

Never before has an exhibition of this scale devoted to the automobile been organised in the Principality. A true journey through time, the event will evoke elegance competitions, major official and sporting events, as well as the automobile as a work of art in its own right. Alongside the exceptional vehicles, visitors will discover a selection of objects, documents, photographs and videos— some previously unseen——illustrating the close relationship between Monaco and the automobile, from its origins to the present day.

A historical panorama supported by the Automobile Club de Monaco

From the Monte-Carlo Rally (founded in 1911) to the post-war elegance competitions and including the Monaco Grand Prix (held since 1929), a vast historical panorama will be presented thanks to the unwavering support of the Automobile Club de Monaco, which has generously opened its archives to the Grimaldi Forum. The exhibition will also feature interactive mediation tools, offering both children and adults an emotionally engaging visit.

Curated by Rodolphe Rapetti

The exhibition is curated by Rodolphe Rapetti, Chief Heritage Curator and recognised specialist in automotive museography, notably responsible for the exhibition “The Art of the Automobile – Masterpieces from the Ralph Lauren Collection,” which attracted more than 150,000 visitors in Paris in 2011.

A highly anticipated edition

Originally scheduled for the summer of 2020 and postponed due to the pandemic, this long-awaited exhibition finally takes place in 2026. A major cultural event at the crossroads of heritage, history and motor sport.

Guided tour and workshops

From 6 to 17July 2026, Monday to Friday.

Children aged 5 to 8:  10h00 to 12h00

Children aged  9 to 12: de 14h00 to 16h00

Maximum of 25 children per day

Full programme:

🏁 Day 1: Ready, steady, go!
Let’s dive into the world of the Grand Prix. Children aged 5–8 will create their own car using recycled cardboard, decorate it, and learn to name the different parts of a car. The older group will assemble wooden elements to recreate a Formula 1 car and paint it, while discovering the mechanics and competition of the Grand Prix. Each child will leave with a booklet to further explore the concepts covered.

🚗 Day 2: The Rally on display!
Children observe and discover the codes of advertising in posters from the 1930s to the 1970s. Then, they create their own poster on A3 paper, either by gluing cut-out elements or bringing it to life with colors.

🏎️ Day 3: Formula 1 and design
What are the characteristic shapes of a Formula 1 car? After observation, it’s time to get hands-on: each child creates their own clay model of a car.

🚦 Day 4: Road safety made child’s play!
The younger children design their own snakes and ladders game focused on road safety to learn about traffic signs, while the older ones take part in an escape game themed around road safety.

🛠️ Day 5: Group workshop – “The bolides of the Grimaldi Forum”
Children are split into groups to form racing teams. The goal? Create a logo, choose a color, and decorate cardboard or wooden cars of different sizes, which will be displayed in the lobby of the Grimaldi Forum.

Prices

25 € per workshop

110€ for first one-week course (5 days, July 6 to 10 )

110€ for second one-week course (5 days, July 13 to 17)

For bookings or further information:

Phone. +377 99 99 3000

E-mail : ticket@grimaldiforum.com