Le Méridien Beach Plaza is marking the 50th anniversary of the Monegasque Association for Nature Protection (AMPN) with a new photography exhibition celebrating five decades of marine conservation in the Principality.
Running from 15th July to 15th October, the exhibition, 50 Years of Commitment to Biodiversity, takes over the hotel’s Méridien Hub, offering visitors a visual journey through the history of Monaco’s Marine Protected Areas and the people who have worked to preserve them.
Founded in 1976 at the request of Prince Rainier III, the AMPN was established to help Monaco play a meaningful role in protecting the Mediterranean Sea. The association has since become a driving force in marine conservation, managing the Larvotto Marine Protected Area since its creation in 1976 and extending its stewardship to the Spélugues Marine Protected Area a decade later. Today, these sites are recognised internationally as models for urban marine conservation.
Over the past five decades, the association has led pioneering scientific research, ecological restoration programmes and long-term monitoring of marine habitats, while also introducing innovative conservation initiatives, including the world’s first 3D-printed artificial reefs in 2017. Alongside its scientific work, the organisation has placed education and public awareness at the heart of its mission, believing that inspiring future generations is essential to protecting the world’s oceans.
A visual journey through Monaco’s marine heritage
The exhibition is organised around six themes—Protect, Develop, Restore, Study, Innovate and Inspire—and combines archive material with contemporary photography to chart the evolution of Monaco’s marine conservation efforts.
Visitors will discover the creation and management of the Principality’s protected marine areas, major scientific discoveries, restoration projects and technological innovations that have helped safeguard one of the Mediterranean’s richest coastal ecosystems.
A longstanding partnership
Hosting the exhibition reflects Le Méridien Beach Plaza’s long-standing collaboration with the AMPN. As Monaco’s only hotel with a private beach directly bordering the Larvotto Marine Protected Area, the hotel has worked alongside the association on numerous environmental initiatives, including beach and underwater clean-ups, educational activities for children, awareness programmes for guests and staff, and support for conservation projects.
The Larvotto Marine Protected Area, which covers 33 hectares of Monaco’s coastline, is home to extensive Posidonia seagrass meadows and a remarkable diversity of marine life, including groupers, moray eels, octopus and spiny lobsters.
The exhibition forms part of Le Méridien’s global Unlock Art™ programme, which aims to connect guests with the cultural identity of each destination through exhibitions, artistic collaborations and exclusive cultural experiences. In Monaco, hotel guests can also enjoy complimentary admission to exhibitions at the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco by presenting their room key.
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Photo taken from exhibition panel.