Monte Carlo Museums

(Monte Carlo, Monaco)

Monte Carlo has plenty of indoor museum attractions to keep visitors busy, with the outstanding Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium stealing the limelight, with its more than 4,000 fish. However, the luxurious destination of Monte Carlo has far more than just marine species to gasp at.

Monte Carlo is home to one of the world's most priceless vintage car collections, owned and cherished by the Prince of Monaco and displayed for public viewing within its very own museum. Equal in popularity to this attraction is the Automatons and Dolls of Yesteryear exhibition, which pleases miniature fans with its period costumed characters.

Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium

Address: Avenue Saint-Martin, Monte Carlo, Monaco
Tel: +377 093 15 3600
Home to 4,000-plus fish, including a shoal of red-bellied piranhas, Monte Carlo's superb aquarium is ideal for visitors of all ages. In addition to a 20-metre / 66-foot long whale skeleton and 200 kinds of invertebrates, the Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium is equipped with a top-floor restaurant, which offers splendid vistas of the Riviera beyond as you enjoy your meal.
Open hours: daily - 09:30 to 19:30, seasonal variations apply
Admission: charge, discount for children, children under six free

Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology

Address: Boulevard du Jardin Exotique, Monte Carlo, Monaco
Tel: +377 093 15 8006
Adjacent to the Jardin Exotique (Exotic Gardens), the Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology deserves an hour or two or your time to discover its valuable Grimaldi burial sites. Founded by Prince Albert I in the early 1900s, this popular attraction traces the history of man through these and other anthropological remains, including those of extinct animals.
Open hours: daily - 09:00 to 19:00, seasonal variations apply
Admission: charge, discount for children 6 to 18 years and students

HSH the Prince of Monaco's Collection of Classic Cars

Address: Terraces of Fontvieille, Monte Carlo, Monaco
Tel: +377 092 05 2856
A must-see for all car lovers, this outstanding collection of more than 100 vintage automobiles will wow drivers and fans of motoring history alike. Some of the highlights on display at the HSH the Prince of Monaco's Collection of Classic Cars include a 1929 Bugatti, a 1903 De Dion Bouton, a 1952 Rolls Royce and a 1986 Lamborghini Countach, all of which are in immaculate condition.
Open hours: daily - 10:00 to 18:00
Admission: charge, discount for children eight to 14 years

National Museum of Automatons and Dolls of Yesteryear

Address: 17 Avenue Princesse Grace, Monte Carlo, Monaco
Tel: +377 093 30 9126
The Automatons and Dolls of Yesteryear is a particularly interesting museum and was created by Madeleine de Galéa. Appealing to doll and automat lovers of all ages, exhibits include endless costumed characters, which are displayed alongside miniature household items fitting for their use. All of the figures displayed are dressed in period costumes from the 14th century. Occupying a Charles Garnier-designed villa, the museum is backed by a pretty rose and sculpture garden.
Open hours: daily - 10:00 to 18:30
Admission: charge, discount for children six to 16 years

Monaco Le Film

Address: Terraces du Parking du Chemin du Pécheurs, Monte Carlo, Monaco
Tel: +377 093 25 3233
Visitors interested in the principality's history should not miss this wonderful introduction to the powers that have governed Monte Carlo since the formation of Monaco. An insightful 35-minute film takes visitors through time at Monaco Le Film, after which they can browse the Monte Carlo-related cinema posters displayed in the onsite exhibition.
Open hours: daily
Admission: charge, discount for students and children six to 14 years