Events in Monaco on the Weekend of August 15–16, 2026: What to Do Between Exhibitions, Culture and Laura Pausini

The weekend of Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16, 2026 is an especially interesting time to visit Monaco. In the heart of summer, the Principality offers a calendar combining major cultural events, exhibitions dedicated to Monegasque and international history, contemporary art and music. The Ferragosto weekend also provides an opportunity to alternate museum visits with outdoor walks, with Laura Pausini taking center stage on August 15 at the closing concert of the Monte-Carlo Summer Festival.

For anyone wondering what to do in Monaco on the weekend of August 15–16, 2026, there is therefore plenty to choose from: many of the season’s main exhibitions are open on both days, while Saturday evening features one of the most anticipated musical events of the summer.

Saturday, August 15 in Monaco: the big event is Laura Pausini

The highlight of the weekend is undoubtedly Laura Pausini at the Salle des Étoiles at Sporting Monte-Carlo, scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026, at 8:30 PM. The event closes the 2026 edition of the Monte-Carlo Summer Festival and brings one of Italy’s most internationally renowned artists to Monaco.

The evening is designed as a true dinner show, combining dinner and live entertainment in one of the Principality’s most elegant venues. Laura Pausini returns to a stage she knows well, performing songs from a career spanning more than three decades, including major ballads, more recent releases and hits such as Strani amori and Vivimi. The singer, winner of a Grammy Award and four Latin Grammy Awards, represents one of the major Italian highlights of Monaco’s summer entertainment calendar.

Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Time: 8:30 PM
Venue: Salle des Étoiles, Sporting Monte-Carlo, 26 avenue Princesse Grace
Useful information: the event follows a dinner-and-show format; checking ticket availability and conditions before travelling is recommended.

A journey through automotive history at the Grimaldi Forum

Throughout both days of the Ferragosto weekend, visitors can explore “Monaco and the Automobile, From 1893 to the Present Day”, one of the major exhibitions of summer 2026. The exhibition is held at the Espace Ravel at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco and traces more than 130 years of Monaco’s relationship with the automobile.

The exhibition brings together around fifty iconic vehicles, including cars associated with the Monaco Grand Prix and the Monte-Carlo Rally, alongside archival material and documents from the Automobile Club de Monaco. The result is a story that spans sport, design, technology and history, showing how the automobile has become an integral part of Monaco’s international identity.

The exhibition is open on Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16 from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Dates: July 1 to September 6, 2026
Weekend opening hours: 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
Venue: Grimaldi Forum Monaco, 10 avenue Princesse Grace
Admission: €15.

“The Wedding of the Century” brings the Prince’s Palace back to life

Ferragosto is also an opportunity to immerse yourself in the history of the Grimaldi family with “The Wedding of the Century”, an exhibition hosted in the State Apartments of the Prince’s Palace to mark the 70th anniversary of the marriage between Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly.

The exhibition reconstructs the week of the April 1956 wedding through photographs, films, dresses, jewellery, gifts and archival documents, offering a glimpse not only into the ceremony itself but also into the extraordinary media machine that transformed the union between the Monegasque prince and the American actress into an international event.

During the weekend of August 15–16, the exhibition is open from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

Dates: June 18 to September 25, 2026
August opening hours: 10:00 AM–7:00 PM
Venue: State Apartments of the Prince’s Palace, Monaco-Ville.

“Un Mariage sous les projecteurs”: another perspective on Rainier and Grace Kelly’s wedding

The story of the royal wedding continues with “Un Mariage sous les projecteurs. Rainier III et Grace Kelly. 12-19 avril 1956”, held at the Institut Audiovisuel de Monaco. While the exhibition at the Prince’s Palace focuses on objects and archives connected with the wedding, this exhibition explores the relationship between the wedding and the media.

It is therefore a particularly interesting event for anyone who wants to understand how the 1956 wedding contributed to shaping Monaco’s modern image. The exhibition takes visitors through photographs, documents and audiovisual material dedicated to those days that became part of collective memory.

Dates: July 6, 2026 to February 26, 2027
Opening hours: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Venue: Institut Audiovisuel de Monaco, 83–85 boulevard du Jardin Exotique.

Surrealist art with “Victor Brauner, L’Aventure magique”

Art lovers can spend part of the Ferragosto weekend exploring “Victor Brauner, L’Aventure magique”, an exhibition dedicated to the great Romanian-French surrealist artist Victor Brauner.

The exhibition, hosted at Villa Paloma – Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, presents a wide selection of works tracing the artist’s development across painting, drawing and sculpture. The exhibition also includes non-Western art objects once owned by Brauner, creating a dialogue between his surrealist universe and the cultural sources that influenced his artistic research.

The exhibition is open on Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16 from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Dates: July 3, 2026 to January 3, 2027
Opening hours: 11:00 AM–6:00 PM
Venue: Nouveau Musée National de Monaco – Villa Paloma.

“From Toumaï to Sapiens”, from prehistory to modern humans

Those interested in archaeology and science can visit “From Toumaï to Sapiens” at the Musée d’Anthropologie Préhistorique de Monaco. The exhibition takes visitors through the history of human evolution, beginning with Toumaï and leading to Homo sapiens.

It is particularly suitable for families, as it explores human evolution through artefacts, reconstructions and educational material. The visit can also be combined with the museum’s other collections.

Dates: February 12 to October 16, 2026
Opening hours: 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
Venue: Musée d’Anthropologie Préhistorique, 56 bis boulevard du Jardin Exotique.

“Magies d’ailleurs”: rituals, symbols and cultures from around the world

Also at the Musée d’Anthropologie Préhistorique, visitors can explore “Magies d’ailleurs”, an exhibition dedicated to the variety of magical and ritual practices developed by societies throughout history.

The exhibition examines the relationship between the sacred and the secular and presents figures such as shamans, healers and priestesses, alongside objects used as intermediaries between the human and divine worlds: masks, statues, fetishes and other ritual artefacts. It offers an opportunity to reflect on the symbolic role of objects and the transmission of gestures and traditions over time.

Dates: December 15, 2025 to December 15, 2026
Weekend opening hours: 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
Venue: Musée d’Anthropologie Préhistorique, 56 bis boulevard du Jardin Exotique
Admission: €5; reduced rate for students and free admission for children under 10.

“Patrimoine en danger”: photography highlights heritage worth protecting

For an outdoor cultural experience, the photographic exhibition “Patrimoine en danger” is displayed on the railings of the Jardins Saint-Martin and Sainte-Barbe, on Monaco’s Rock. This free exhibition features photographs by the 15 young winners of a competition dedicated to endangered heritage.

The exhibition explores threats affecting tangible and intangible cultural heritage, from climate change and urban development to mass tourism and social transformation. The photographs offer a new perspective on Monaco while encouraging reflection on the importance of preserving places, traditions and cultural identity.

As an outdoor exhibition, it is one of the easiest attractions to incorporate into a walk around Monaco-Ville and the Rock.

Dates: April 8 to October 4, 2026
Opening hours: 9:00 AM–7:00 PM
Venue: Jardins Saint-Martin and Sainte-Barbe, avenue Saint-Martin
Admission: free and accessible to people with reduced mobility.

“Mediterranean 2050”: exploring the future of the Mediterranean at the Oceanographic Museum

For visitors looking to combine culture, science and environmental awareness, the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco presents “Mediterranean 2050”, an immersive and interactive exhibition focusing on the future of the Mediterranean.

The exhibition encourages visitors to look at the sea from a future-oriented perspective, exploring changes affecting the Mediterranean ecosystem and the relationship between human activity and ocean conservation. The exhibition occupies an area of approximately 1,000 square metres and is particularly worthwhile as part of a full visit to the museum and aquarium.

During the August 15–16 weekend, the Oceanographic Museum is open from 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM, while “Mediterranean 2050” is open from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM.

Dates: March 29, 2025 to January 1, 2030
Exhibition opening hours: 10:00 AM–6:30 PM
Museum summer opening hours: 9:00 AM–7:30 PM
Venue: Musée Océanographique de Monaco, avenue Saint-Martin.

La Note Bleue Summer Festival: music throughout the summer

The weekend of August 15–16 is also part of the La Note Bleue Summer Festival 2026, a summer music festival held at La Note Bleue, on Larvotto Beach. Running until August 30, the festival accompanies Monaco’s summer season with a programme focused mainly on jazz, soul, funk and international musical influences.

For the Ferragosto weekend, however, it is important to distinguish the festival’s overall dates from the schedule of individual concerts: the available information confirms that the festival runs from May 29 to August 30, but does not provide a specific artist, time and performance for August 15–16. It is therefore advisable to check the updated programme directly before planning an evening there.

Festival dates: May 29 to August 30, 2026
Venue: La Note Bleue, Plage du Larvotto, avenue Princesse Grace
Useful information: individual performances and times should be checked against the latest programme.

What to choose in Monaco during the Ferragosto weekend 2026

Saturday, August 15, 2026 is the most appealing day for those looking for a major event. After spending the morning at the Oceanographic Museum or exploring the anthropology exhibitions, visitors can discover the automotive exhibition at the Grimaldi Forum or the exhibition dedicated to Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III before getting ready for the evening with Laura Pausini.

Sunday, August 16, on the other hand, is ideal for a more relaxed cultural programme. The day could begin with “From Toumaï to Sapiens”, continue with “Victor Brauner, L’Aventure magique” and end with a walk through the Jardins Saint-Martin, where the free “Patrimoine en danger” photography exhibition can be visited.

The Ferragosto weekend in Monaco therefore offers a balanced combination of major exhibitions, the history of the Principality, art, science and international music. The event to mark on the calendar is undoubtedly Laura Pausini on Saturday, August 15 at 8:30 PM at the Salle des Étoiles, while the many exhibitions open on both days make it possible to create a complete cultural itinerary even for visitors who prefer to avoid major evening events.