Automotive Antiques Museum, Vladivostok

The Automotive Antiques Museum is a notable destination in the city, standing out as the most original museum in Primorsky Krai's capital. This museum, which is the only one of its kind in Russia, is a must-visit for tourists looking for something different from the usual museum experience and for those who love vintage vehicles.

Founded by a group of passionate car enthusiasts, the museum showcases a unique collection of Soviet and foreign vehicles from the 1920s to the 1970s. The collection includes over 50 antique cars and motorcycles from various countries and brands. The museum spans six halls, covering a total area of about one thousand square meters, with additional exhibits displayed outdoors, including vehicles that participated in the Great Patriotic War.

The museum is particularly proud of its complete collection of the legendary Soviet M-1 automobiles from the prewar years, featuring four models: the 1936 GAZ-M1, a favorite among KGB staff; the GAZ-M-415 pickup, the only surviving model after World War II; and the armored BA-20 and GAZ-M-11-733. Another highlight is the hall dedicated to governmental vehicles, including a ZIS used by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev during his visit to Vladivostok. This hall also features a limousine that once belonged to Admiral Nikolay Kuznetsov.

The museum also includes a hall devoted to the history of the Soviet motor industry, showcasing the development of mass automobile production in the USSR in the 1930s and featuring many of the first basic models of Soviet cars and motorcycles. Another section is dedicated to World War II vehicles, including army jeeps, trucks, and motorcycles from the USSR and its allies, as well as captured vehicles like Jawa and BMW motorcycles, a Giant tricycle, and the first Japanese reconnaissance car, the Kurogane. Additionally, there is a hall of elegant passenger cars from the 1950s.

All vehicles in the museum are in working condition and are regularly used in military parades, historical films, and thematic photoshoots.