Monaco and the Automobile - Automobile Museums

Grimaldi Forum, Monaco

July 1st to September 6, 2026

For the exhibition “Monaco and the Automobile,” 55 legendary cars, dating from 1893 to the present day, will be on display from July 1 to September 6, 2026, at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco to celebrate the ties between the Principality and the automobile. As early as the late 19th century, Monaco established itself as a pioneering territory, both a laboratory for innovation, with, for example, the first experiments with paved roads, and a hub of international influence, through the early organization of automotive events. Over time, the Principality has become a unique setting where the automobile is celebrated in all its forms: elegance with the concours d’elegance held around the Casino since 1897, endurance with the Monte Carlo Rally, founded in 1911 and performance with the Monaco Grand Prix, which has been held on city streets since 1929. And the Princes of Monaco have proven to be passionate enthusiasts, from Albert I, who crisscrossed France on his 1902 Humbert 350 cc motorcycle, to Prince Albert II, including Prince Rainier, who participated in several competitions and founded the Car Collection, which has since become a superb automobile museum.

Photos Credit: McLaren MP4/8 Ayrton Senna and Ferrari 312 T2 Niki Lauda © Jean-Marc Folleté-Dupuits, Citroën Xsara WRC Sébastien Loeb © François Flamand / DPPI

The two flagship motorsports events, the Monte Carlo Rally and the Monaco Grand Prix, continue to take place every year and remain the most prestigious races in their respective categories. The Monaco Grand Prix is part of the “Triple Crown” alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500, a dream for every driver, which only the British driver Graham Hill has been able to achieve to date. The formats have evolved over the decades, particularly for the Monte Carlo Rally. New motorsport events have since joined their ranks, such as the E-Prix (100% electric) and the Historic Grand Prix.

Brought together thanks to the contributions of international lenders and museums, these automobiles are all authentic models that competed in, and often won, Monaco’s major races. Spanning more than 3,500 m², the exhibition combines cars, artifacts, images, and interactive displays, with a layout that invites visitors to explore more than 130 years of close ties between the Principality and the automobile. A scale model of the circuit, video projections, archival footage, and visual displays bring the golden age of Monegasque motorsports to life.

At first, the Monte Carlo Rally was more of a regularity rally, with crews setting out from various European cities to join a common route leading them to Monaco. But back then, in the middle of winter (the Rally takes place in January), crossing Europe was already an adventure. Later, the competitive element was introduced and took center stage, but the “concentration route” remained in place until the mid-1990s, when the FIA (Fédération International de l’Automobile) established a standard, more compact format for all World Championship rallies. Thus, the Delahaye Type 58 “Double Berline,” which competed in the 2nd Monaco International Automobile Rally in 1912, starting from Paris, seems very far removed from a race car. It finished 7th in the rally and won first prize for elegance among closed-body cars the day after the rally. The same is true of the Bugatti Type 46, also known as the “Petite Royale,” which competed in the Rally in 1932.

Photos Credit: Delahaye, Type 58, Double Berline “Obus” 1911 © Collection Mahy by Wouters Rawoens, Bugatti 46 1931 – Le Musée National de l’Automobile – Collection Schlumpf © Xavier de Nombel

At the other extreme, the little Morris Mini Cooper S won the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally (the Mini also won in 1965 and 1967). Lightweight and compact, this little front-wheel-drive car performed wonderfully on snow-covered roads. Another lightweight and agile car, but this time with the engine mounted all the way in the rear, the Alpine A110, the famous “berlinette,” is another rally star, having won the Monte Carlo Rally twice (in 1971 and 1973).

Photos Credit: Morris Mini Cooper S 1963 © Xavier de Nombel, Alpine-Renault A110 1973 © photo Alain PATRICE

Since Lancia holds the record for the most wins in this event, it comes as no surprise to find three models in the exhibition, all of which claimed victory in the Principality and left their mark on rally history. The Lancia Fulvia 1.6 HF, another lightweight and compact front-wheel-drive car, won in 1972 with Sandro Munari. The same Sandro Munari went on to win three more times in the Stratos HF, in 1975, 1976, and 1977, with the car on display being the 1977 model. The first car specifically designed for rally racing, the Stratos also won in 1979 (driven by Bernard Darniche). Finally, the Lancia Delta, in its various versions, won six out of seven times between 1986 and 1992; the Delta Integrale 16V, which won in 1990 with Didier Auriol at the wheel, represents this famous lineage here.

Photos Credit: Archives photos Automobile-Museum

The Citroën Xsara WRC also racked up three consecutive victories between 2003 and 2005, driven by Sébastien Loeb (with Monegasque co-driver Daniel Elena). Other rally stars on display include the Fiat 131 Abarth, the Renault R5 Turbo, and the Peugeot 205 T16, all three of which have won the Monte Carlo Rally.

Photos Credit: Archives photos Automobile-Museum

The other major theme of the exhibition focuses on Grand Prix single-seaters, from their origins to the present day. The exhibition ranges from the Bugatti Type 35B, winner of the first Monaco Grand Prix in 1929, to Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari SF 24, with which he won his first Monaco Grand Prix. This Ferrari is on display in a dedicated space celebrating the Monegasque driver. The Alfa Romeo 158, Cisitalia D48, Delage 15, Gordini T16, Lancia D50, and Talbot Lago T26 C represent the early days of Formula 1 in the 1940s and 1950s, before British single-seaters like Cooper, BRM, and Lotus began to challenge Italian dominance.

Photos Credit: Bugatti 35B 1928 Nationales Automuseum, The Loh Collection © Dominic Fraser, Cisitalia Spa D48 1948 Collezione Lopresto © Carrstudio/Lopresto, Gordini 16, Gordini 32 and Talbot Lago T26 Archives photos Automobile-Museum

Several Grand Prix-winning cars are on display, including the Lotus 49B (Graham Hill, 1968), the Lotus 72E (Ronnie Peterson, 1974), the Renault R26 (Fernando Alonso, 2006), the Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid (Nico Rosberg, 2015)… and, of course, the 2024 Ferrari SF 24. The selection also includes Jordan, Matra, Tyrrell, and Wolf, offering a wonderful overview of F1 history. In addition, a second area is dedicated to another great Monegasque driver, Louis Chiron (the man who gave his name to the Bugatti), whose career began in the 1920s and ended in the late 1950s. Louis Chiron is the only driver to have won both of Monaco’s major races: the Monaco Grand Prix (1931) and the Monte Carlo Rally (1954).

Photos Credit: Lotus 49B 1967 © Classic Team Lotus, Lotus JPS 72 and Renault R26 Archives photos Automobile-Museum

A Venturi (a Monegasque manufacturer) Formula E car serves as a reminder that Monaco is also hosting an E-Prix for several years. While sports are naturally the central theme of the “Monaco and the Automobile” exhibition, other vehicles take a back seat. Venturi, which specializes in electric vehicles, is also exhibiting its Mona Luna lunar rover concept. Among the other iconic vehicles highlighting this connection between Monaco and the automobile is the Panhard & Levassor Type P2D, which passed through Monaco in 1893 and is today the oldest known motor car still in existence.

Not to mention the majestic Rolls-Royce “Silver Wraith Four-Door Convertible” (built by Hooper) chosen by Prince Rainier III to tour the Principality on April 19, 1956, the day of his wedding to Grace Kelly. If you’re visiting the French Riviera to see this superb exhibition, don’t forget to stop by the nearby Collection of H.S.H. The Prince of Monaco, Monaco’s automobile museum.