24 Hours of Le Mans Museum, France
A new museum will open in Le Mans in May 2026, taking over from the 24 Hours of Le Mans Museum. Located at the entrance to the 24 Hours circuit, the museum has undergone several major changes since its creation in 1961. Since 2017, it has been owned by the ACO (Automobile Club de l’Ouest), organizer of the 24 Hours and many other events on this circuit. In 2023, an exceptional exhibition celebrated the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, bringing together exclusively cars that have marked the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including 65 cars that have won the world’s most famous (well, one of the most famous) motor race.
Following the success of this exhibition, the museum kept the exhibition layout, displaying only models that had participated in the 24 Hours (except for a small section dedicated to the Bollee brand, which originated in Le Mans). And it has been a popular success, with museum attendance tripling between 2018 and 2024, exceeding 200,000 visitors in 2024. With M24, another major milestone is in the works. The ACO has partnered with Richard Mille, watchmaker and car collector, to create what will be the International Museum of Motor Sport, the world’s largest museum dedicated to motor racing. Over the years, Richard Mille has built up an impressive collection of racing cars representing the main disciplines of motor sport: endurance, F1, F2, rallying, hill climbing, as well as US disciplines such as Indycar and the powerful CanAm.
Every year at Retromobile, Richard Mille presents a small thematic selection of models from this collection on his stand. By combining the two collections, M24 will offer visitors an exceptional overview of the history of motor sports. M24 will take over the current site, which will be extensively modified with the addition of an extension, bringing the exhibition area to 8,600 m²! The first stone of this construction was laid on May 28, 2025, and the new museum is scheduled to open in May 2026, meaning that this prestigious project will be completed in just one year of construction. This symbolic date will also coincide with the 120th anniversary of the ACO.
During the event, Richard Mille declared, “Yes, I am madly in love with motor racing! My professional career has allowed me to live this passion to the fullest and to build a collection that tells the story of motor racing. For me, all these cars are mechanical works of art that combine aesthetic design and mechanical ingenuity. Today, they deserve to be shared with as many people as possible. All these endurance, F1, rally, and American-style racing cars tell stories, bring back memories, and above all, allow us to share our passion with younger generations.” For Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO, “Such a tourist and cultural facility is justified here in Le Mans, thanks to the aura of our 24 Hours and the reputation of our circuit, recently designated France’s Favorite Monument. This museum will be there to preserve and pass on the history of motorsport to younger generations and to provide all our visitors with moments of emotion, sharing, and passion.”
Of course, the renovation work on the current building will result in the temporary closure of the 24 Hours Museum. However, from August 1, 2025, a temporary structure located near the South Gate of the circuit (for reference, the current museum is located at the North Gate) will open its doors. It will welcome visitors until March 31, 2026. This temporary structure, designed on two floors of 600 m² each, will house an ambitious exhibition, bringing together no less than fifteen exceptional cars, grouped around the theme of “World Champions.”
The models chosen are closely linked to a World Champion, or were used to win a world title, either as a driver or manufacturer, in endurance racing, but also in Formula 1. The final “lineup” will be revealed soon, so be sure to follow our blog for updates on this topic. The Official 24 Hours of Le Mans Store will also be open at this location during the construction work.
The photos on this page belong to the 24 Hours of Le Mans Museum, no right of reproduction without the express permission of the museum.