The Nouveau Musée National de Monaco Opens the “Cactus” Exhibition at Villa Sauber

From July 6, 2025, to January 11, 2026, Villa Sauber will host Cactus, a captivating exhibition curated by Marc Jeanson and Laurent Le Bon. Following its success at the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech, which launched the project in 2024, the show arrives in the Principality with new content and a local focus.

Succulent plants take center stage: intriguing, contradictory, and visually striking. Cacti—with their geometric or whimsical forms, velvety or spiny textures, and colors ranging from muted to dazzling—have fascinated scientists, travelers, artists, and collectors for centuries.

Native to the arid zones of the globe, these plants have become emblems of resilience, exoticism, and otherness. The exhibition explores how cacti spread through Europe during the 19th century, thanks to scientific expeditions and the growing passion for horticulture.

Combining botanical archives and artistic interpretations, the show features historical herbariums, contemporary photography, and design pieces inspired by cactus silhouettes. Highlights include a film by Sergei Eisenstein, a playful Gufram installation, and an iPad drawing by David Hockney.

Special attention is given to the Riviera, where succulents have flourished and inspired iconic gardens. Through archival documents, sketches, and images, visitors are invited to discover the unique relationship between these plants and the Mediterranean landscape.

The experience continues outside the museum: with the support of the Jardin Exotique de Monaco, Villa Sauber’s gardens are transformed into a spectacular cactus garden, turning the visit into a vibrant journey between nature and art.