Workshop at Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology – Nature and curiosities

Faced with the unknown (illness, death, tomorrow), rituals are a way of organising chaos, of "knowing what to do", of dispelling fear and confronting trials. How does one move from the profane to the sacred? What meaning is given to everyday gestures? What role do shamans, healers and priestesses play? What objects serve as mediators in these exchanges between humans and gods: fetishes, masks, cult statues? What is the diversity of these practices, and what are their common threads? What is the history of magical rituals, their foundation, their raison d'être? How can we understand the precise meaning of gestures that are repeated and passed down from generation to generation, from master to initiate, from father to son?

This richly illustrated, educational and interactive exhibition tells the story of the birth and evolution of our species, Homo sapiens, and of the entire human lineage known as Hominins.It traces the journey, through long migrations, of human beings who invented tools and mastered fire, before leaving the African cradle of humanity and eventually settling, for the past approximately 10,000 years, across the entire planet. These fascinating and open-ended questions are explored in this exhibition, which is further enriched by multimedia content (interviews, 3D views of prehistoric objects, quizzes, games, etc.).Like all exhibitions by Synops editions, From Toumaï to Sapiens is aimed at a wide audience and shares scientific knowledge in an educational and engaging way. Passionate about sharing knowledge, Synops editions design exhibitions that are both educational, interactive and immersive, intended for museums, media libraries, associations, science and technology culture centres and all types of public venues.

The Department of Cultural Affairs presents an exhibition of photographs by the 15 young award-winners of the Photo competition: "Heritage at Risk". This exhibition is on display from 9 April to 4 October 2026 on the grilles des Jardins Saint-Martin (railings in the Saint-Martin Gardens) at the Rocher.This 2026 edition of the photography competition for young people aged 11 to 25, on the theme "Heritage at Risk", in line with the 2026 European Heritage Days theme.This theme evokes the threats facing our tangible cultural heritage (e.g. artworks and moveable property, architecture, written and graphic works, constructed landscapes, gardens, archaeological sites, etc.) and intangible heritage (e.g. traditions, language, performing arts, rituals and festive events, traditional craftsmanship, gastronomy, etc.), such as climate change, natural disasters, societal change, urbanisation and mass tourism. This theme in particular enabled all participants to reflect on what cultural heritage represents and thus to consider solutions for preserving it.The competition revealed some very beautiful perspectives from young people on Monegasque heritage.The public is invited to discover this free exhibition.