Le Mans
The ACO is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year. Thanks to the increasing popularity of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the city’s pivotal role in automotive history, the idea of a museum sparked discussion shortly after World War II. The project came to fruition in 1961, within the circuit grounds.
By the late fifties the Automobile Club de l’Ouest was a prominent feature of the French sports scene. The club had been defending motorists’ interests since 1906 and organised a major endurance race each year. European car makes reigned supreme at the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the time, and the race attracted drivers from all round the world.
Jean-Marie Lelièvre, who was elected chairman of the ACO in 1951, was keen to continue his predecessors’ work by extending the grounds. An automotive museum was suggested. They were rare at the time. After all, as home to the Bollée family, Le Mans had pioneered the industry and so it was a perfectly legitimate initiative. The club began by organising a vintage car show to celebrate the ACO’s 50th anniversary, in 1956. The event was such a success that Jean-Marie Lelièvre decided to build a museum at the circuit, to salute “the story of the century”. His idea was to conserve the unique heritage of the race and prevent old models from disappearing into oblivion. Local collectors were in favour, which was encouraging.
However, the ACO needed government backing. The museum opened just before the 24 Hours of Le Mans on 8 June 1961 in the presence of the Minister of Information Louis Terrenoire, having secured support from the Prefect of La Sarthe Pierre-Marcel Wiltzer, and the département, represented by François de Nicolaÿ. The 1100 m² building housing 65 vehicles was located near the race village. Racegoers could now enjoy the present in the light of the past.
Lelièvre’s project increased the prestige of the race, confirming Le Mans’ status as capital of French motoring. Just like the race, the museum has never ceased to evolve, undergoing frequent modernisations. In the late 1980s, the département of La Sarthe built a new complex, just outside the circuit, at the main gate. Architect Stéphane Barbotin’s design gave rise to a 4000m² building, which still exists today. The museography evolved periodically. From 2009, it focused on the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In 2016, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest acquired the museum and it took on a new dimension. Thanks to the club’s heritage department the number of visitors has been increasing ever since. The visit was divided into two pathways: general, and endurance racing. In 2023, the Centenary year, the museum housed a special exhibition featuring most of the models that had made their mark on the race since it begun. Footfall tripled within a few years, reaching 208,500 visitors in 2023. For racegoers, a visit to the museum is a must. Temporary exhibitions featuring major manufacturers, such as Ferrari, Alpine and McLaren are popular with fans.
A little earlier, in 2022, the ACO had hatched a huge plan. Pierre Fillon, ACO President and Richard Mille founded a company, MACO, to build a massive extension to the museum and expand the collections to include other motorsport disciplines. And so, work began on M24. The challenge was to keep the museum open until after the 2025 Le Mans Classic in early July and reopen it before the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans! It will be ready in time. M24 will open its doors at 10 a.m. on 28 May. In the meantime, a temporary museum has been located on the other side of the circuit.
The new museum, which comprises a brand new wing designed by architect Frédéric Audevard celebrates not only the 24 Hours of Le Mans but includes other disciplines too. Formula One, rally, rally-raid, IndyCar and Can-Am are all part of the immersive M24 experience. MACO turned to specialist scenographers The Immersers to transport visitors on a journey through time. The entire history of the race is recounted in parallel to the 24 hour-long event, starting with scrutineering and ending with the finish line. Along the way, visitors admire the magnificent collection of cars. Every aspect of the race is explored, from the innovative spirit to the preparation behind the scenes and the tension of the starting ceremony. MACO set out, not just to display 100 vehicles and keep them in good condition, but to bring them alive.
The ACO has been inventing and reinventing since 1906 and applies the principle across the board, including to the museum. M24 – Motorsport Museum, which opens soon, attains its goal to set the new standard for automotive museums.
