Albert I (1848-1922) was one of the most enlightened princes of his time.
He was nicknamed "the learned Prince" or "the navigator Prince" because of his abysmal love for science and in particular for the oceans.
A true Jules Verne character, he led no less than 2 scientific campaigns, from Spitzberg to the Azores and in 1910, he inaugurated the Oceanographic Museum.
Also passionate about prehistory, the Prince founded a Museum of Anthropology in 1902, to exhibit his discoveries.
A convinced humanist and pacifist, he dreamed of participating in the improvement of the world: he created the International Institute of Peace.
For him, progress must be at the service of mankind and this ideal of well-being for mankind does not prevent him from keeping a distance and from being aware of the limits of industrial progress, by its possible attacks on the environment and biodiversity.
Albert I undertook profound reforms on the political, economic and social levels.
The Prince was at the forefront of the avant-garde and brought Monaco into modernity: He provided the Principality with a Constitution, had the port enlarged, created a hospital, a high school, a library...
This multi-faceted Prince, through his humanism, his patronage, his art of governing, his scientific curiosity and his pioneering awareness of environmental issues, greatly contributed to the influence of his country.