Aluksne opens unique collection of vintage cars and machinery

A new private museum, the Technology and Art Space "Elevators," has opened this summer in the town of Aluksne, housed in a historic grain elevator building. The venue adds to the town's list of tourist attractions by combining technical heritage with art.

A three-floor collection

The exhibits, including cars, motorcycles and snowmobiles, are spread across three floors of the building. The collection is complemented by works from local artist Teodors Paulovics and painter Herberts Ernests Silins. Visitors are guided through the museum by a guide named Laima, who shares the history behind each exhibit, including a jeep built in Aluksne back in the 1990s.

Historically unique exhibits

On the first floor, visitors are greeted by the steam locomotive "Ferdinands," which guests are allowed to board. Among the standout exhibits is an exclusive Soviet-era car once used by Mikhail Gorbachev, the last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, as well as a Tsarist-era Rolls-Royce. A collection of old radios, including Soviet-made sets, is also on display.

Most of the vehicles remain in working condition. These include a Peugeot Quadrilette that spent decades being driven around the streets of the town of Ape by its owner, a local dentist, and a 1932 Ford Model B Deluxe, which visitors are allowed to sit behind the wheel of. Also on display is a large jeep that an ambitious local entrepreneur planned to manufacture in Aluksne in the 1990s, though the project was never realized.

Visits by appointment

For now, "Elevators" operates as a museum open to visitors only by prior appointment. Organizers see it as a chance for guests to glimpse different eras and learn the stories of the people connected to these vehicles.