MNACTEC hosts the new exhibition “VIVA Montesa”
The exhibition brings together 80 Montesa motorcycles to celebrate the marque's 80th anniversary
The National Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia (MNACTEC) and Montesa have formally opened the exhibition “VIVA Montesa”, dedicated to the history of one of the most iconic marques of the Spanish motorcycling industry.
The opening was attended by Joaquim Borràs, Director-General of Cultural Heritage; Albert Tulleuda, Director of the MNACTEC, and Joan Cañellas, representing the Permanyer family, owners of the Pere Permanyer Collection. The event also paid tribute to the racer Toni Bou.
Eight decades of history, innovation and passion
The exhibition “VIVA Montesa” takes us on a journey through the history of one of the most iconic marques of the Spanish motorcycling industry, and an international byword in the world of motorsport.
To mark the 80th anniversary of Montesa, the exhibition brings together 80 iconic motorcycles from its history, by way of tribute to a company which left an indelible imprint on industrial design, engineering and motorcycling, as well as honouring the role of Pere Permanyer Puigjaner, businessman, industrialist, inventor and visionary, who dedicated his life to driving innovation and helping to modernise the society of his day.
Through a painstaking selection of motorcycles, engines, documentation and graphical materials, the exhibition recounts the evolution of a company which triumphed by making technical innovation, design and competition its three hallmarks.
The exhibits are divided into three main stages:
1. The founding years, from 1945 up to the launch of the Impala, a model that was to mark a turning point in the history of Spanish motorcycles.
2. The period of greatest industrial and sporting expansion, with the creation of models intended for trials, motocross, enduro and road racing, along with Montesa's growing international reputation.
3. The collaboration with Honda and the marque's specialisation in trial bikes, a discipline where it remains a leading name worldwide, thanks to an outstanding sporting record and riders who have taken it to the summit of the World Championship.
More than a motorcycle exhibition, "VIVA Montesa" is an invitation to discover eight decades of innovation, hard work, design and passion for two wheels.
1 October 2026
