Prince’s Car Collection

This collection was born from one man’s passion: Prince Rainier III, a great lover of cars. From the 1950s onwards he bought and restored models that moved him, eventually gathering around a hundred vehicles. Long displayed on the Fontvieille terraces, the collection moved to Quai Antoine I, on the harbour, at the initiative of Prince Albert II. You travel through time, from crank started cars of the early twentieth century to princely carriages and ceremonial limousines. Look for the car from the 1956 wedding and the elegant American models of the fifties. Racing fans will be delighted: several single seaters and Monte Carlo Rally cars are on show, including Formula One cars that shone on the circuit. Every model has its own story, often linked to the princely family or the principality. Children love this visit, and it is the perfect stop before walking the Grand Prix corners.

History

This collection began as one man’s passion: Prince Rainier III, who gathered his cars over some thirty years. When they became too many for the Palace garage, he decided in 1993 to show them to the public. For nearly 30 years, they were displayed on the Terrasses de Fontvieille, across 5 specially designed levels.

After Prince Rainier III died in 2005, his son Albert II chose to develop the collection. In 2012, 38 cars were sold at auction to reorganise and enrich it. Then, in 2022, it left Fontvieille for a new building on Port Hercules, right in the heart of the Grand Prix circuit. It is now called the Monaco Top Cars Collection.

Art and architecture

The collection includes nearly one hundred vintage and modern vehicles, built in Europe and the United States. You follow the history of the automobile, from the first cars of the early 20th century to recent racing models, by way of prestige and ceremonial cars.

The museum also displays donated or loaned vehicles, so the presentation changes over time. The link with racing is everywhere: Monaco has hosted the Monte Carlo Rally since 1911 and the Grand Prix since 1929, and several cars recall both events.

Anecdotes

Among the most famous pieces is the Bugatti Type 35 driven by William Grover-Williams, winner of the very first Monaco Grand Prix in 1929. Closer to our time, you can see the Citroën DS3 WRC in which Sébastien Loeb won the Monte Carlo Rally in 2013.

Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc is here too, through the Ferrari SF90 he drove in the 2019 Formula 1 World Championship. Seeing the 1929 winner next to a modern Formula 1 car gives a striking sense of nearly a century of motor racing in Monaco.

What to look for

Look for the Bugatti that won in 1929, then Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari and Sébastien Loeb’s rally car. Take time to read the labels: each car has its own story, often linked to the princely family. When you leave, walk a few steps along the quays: you are on the Grand Prix track itself.

Practical

The museum is on Port Hercules, a few minutes’ walk from the Place d’Armes. According to available information, it usually opens every day from 10 am to 6 pm, except 25 December and 1 January. Admission is charged: check opening times and prices on the collection’s official website before you go, especially during the Grand Prix.

Nearby

Continue along Port Hercules, then climb to the Rock via the Rampe Major. Racing fans can follow part of the circuit on foot, from the Sainte Devote bend to the port. The Terrasses de Fontvieille, the collection’s former home, are on the other side of the Rock.

Test yourself

Sources

• Wikipedia: Monaco Top Cars Collection
• Billetterie officielle (Tickeasy, Palais princier)
• Site officiel : mtcc.mc

Information checked on 30 September 2026.