24h Le Mans
The idea for M24 blossomed in 2022, when the ACO, represented by Pierre Fillon, and the company Richard Mille formed a joint venture named MACO. A huge building project began, involving the renovation of the existing site and an extension designed by architect Frédéric Audevard. One of the main challenges was to complete the work in less than a year, in time for the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans.
M24 is composed of two parts: the initial building dating from 1961, which has been entirely renovated, and the extension designed by Frédéric Audevard, which brings the new exhibition area to a total of 8,600 m².
The extension required a wide array of experts to work side by side in harmony. The 24 Hours of Le Mans museum remained open to the public until the end of the 2025 Le Mans Classic in early July and M24 is scheduled to open before the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Philippe Morançais and the company CMB oversaw the project. No less than 14 different trades and 23 companies – most of them located in the region – were involved in the project destined to contribute to the local economy.
“M24 boasts a strong architectural character, inspired by the aerodynamics, speed and adrenaline at play in motor racing, and in particular the prototypes on the grid of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Continuous strokes and taught shapes resemble racing lines. Inside, the flow of visitors advances smoothly, like the air around a race car. Not only does this building house high-performance objects, it embodies them.
Precisely managed natural light accompanies visitors throughout the museum, illuminating the exhibits cleanly and effectively. Technology is replaced by an immersive scenography, where architecture combines with content to heighten emotions.
M24 meets the strictest environmental standards. The project includes a green roof designed to manage varying amounts of rainwater thanks to harvesting and drainage. The building materials – such as aluminium, which is lightweight, durable and recyclable – were selected for sustainability and responsibility.
Respectful of its environment, M24 establishes a dialogue with the surrounding landscape. This approach is in line with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s ambitious CSR strategy, a vision where architectural innovation, environmental responsibility and sporting heritage come together.”
The Immersers, a scenography company based in Nantes, have orchestrated the collections with a type of museography new to the automotive world with the goal of drawing visitors into the narrative. Raphaël Daguet and his team take immersion seriously. They don’t design museum tours, they take visitors into another world.
"In 2021, the ACO and Richard Mille asked us to help them design M24 – Museum of motorsport. We took on the collective project in true entrepreneurial spirit, embracing both the opportunities and the risks involved. Each party had its own vision: the ACO which saw Le Mans turn a craft into an industry and then an art form; Richard Mille, who always seeks the very best setting to show off a jewel; Frédéric Audevard, who designed the setting – the place, the volumes, the functionality; and us, The Immersers, whose role was to articulate the pieces, and bring the place to life. Our method is a narrative one. We draft and present a story that takes visitors on a journey through time, using technology as a means, not an end. To tell a story, you first need to gather people around a narrator. We are a collective of designers and architects who create spellbinding experiences.
In that sense, M24 is a journey. The cars displayed pay us the honour of stopping by to give us a glimpse of their lives as champions. We meet their drivers, their mechanics – our fellow enthusiasts. The narration takes place over a weekend, between 1923 and 2026 and relates the history of racing and of the race. Visitors wander between eras, from the scrutineering sessions in the city, when the 24 Hours of Le Mans encounters the public, to the finish, taking in all the landmark moments along the way.
The dual temporality creates the immersion. Visitors live the legend. The journey includes a materials library inviting us to touch steering wheels and firesuits. Other immersive moments include the life-size diorama depicting actual scenes, and the nighttime experience, which uses technology to travel between decades.
The introspective experience takes place in a specially-designed room, flanked by three gigantic (30 m x 6 m) abstract murals inspired by Pierre Soulages, suggesting that race cars have become works of art.
M24 is probably the most theatrical of automotive museums. Of course, it is difficult to imagine displaying such huge works. A car is very different from a painting. We set out to create time capsules, excerpts of life – with drivers, teams and fans – to generate emotion, feelings, and a true sense of history. We are proud to have given ourselves the means to achieve that ambitious goal."
