From the historical to the cultural and the environmental, more than 40 different sites in the Principality, including the Palais Princier de Monaco, will open their doors to the public for the 2024 edition of the European Heritage Days event later this month.
The theme chosen for this year’s European Heritage Days event, which will be held between 14th and 15th September, is ‘The Heritage of Routes, Networks and Connections’. All across the continent, members of the public will be encouraged to head out to visit an array of sites and locations that explore how the movement of not only people but also ideas and culture have shaped the Europe we know today.
Monaco, which has enjoyed the role of an important port city since antiquity and later rose to prominence as a glamourous destination during the Belle Époque, is fully embracing the theme and is set to delve into its own history with a packed programme of events over the two days.
Read more: How did Monaco’s Port Hercule get its name?
In all, more than 40 different sites will be opened up to the public. These include the Grand Apartments in the Palais Princier de Monaco, which will host free tours of the state rooms, the Salle d’Europe, the Throne Room and the Galerie d’Hercule on each day between 10am and 6pm.
See more: Prince’s Palace reopens to reveal new hidden frescos under restoration
Among the other highlights are the Musée Océanographique’s plans to offer significantly reduced entrance prices to visitors – entry will cost €9 instead of €19 for an adult and €6 instead of €12 for children aged four to 17 – as well as a number of guided tours through the museum’s maritime exhibitions. The tours will be held on 15th September at 10.30am, 1.30pm, 3pm and 4.30pm.
Meanwhile, Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer has organised for two fascinating days of screenings in the Casino of a film that explores the role of transport in Monaco’s rise as a luxury destination during the 19th and 20th centuries. The showings of the ‘Routes, Réseaux, Connexions’ production will take place in the Atrium, which will be free to access on both days of the event.
Culture and the Principality’s plethora of cultural institutions feature prominently in the programme, with locales such as the Académie Rainier III, the Pavillon Bosio – École Supérieure d’Arts Plastiques, the Princess Grace Irish Library, the Princess Grace Theatre, the Académie Princesse Grace and the two Nouveau Musée National de Monaco sites all planning events for the European Heritage Days.
Several museums, including the Musée d’Anthropologie Préhistorique de Monaco, the Musée des Princes et de Leurs Gardes and the Musée des Timbres et Monnaies, will be joining in, as will numerous religious sites, from the Cathédrale de Monaco to the Principality’s many churches.
There will also be a strong focus on Monaco’s role as a proponent of environmentalism and conservation. The headquarters of the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco will be welcoming visitors between 10am and 5pm, while the Terres Méditerranéennes association and the Centre Botanique in the Jardin Exotique will offer the public an opportunity to reconnect with nature and explore the biodiversity of the Principality.
For a complete list of all the events planned at participating locations across Monaco, click here.
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Photo credit: S. Peroumal / Musée Océanographique de Monaco
