Vaasa Car and Motor Museum opened its doors in 1981. The Museum houses engines and cars from the beginning of the 20th century to present times. The Museum
presents the history of traffic and vehicles through restored cars and other vehicles. Objects on display include a horse-drawn ambulance from 1909, as well as several fire
engines and other fire equipment.

The Museum’s large collection of bicycles provides a great opportunity to familiarise yourself with the development of the bicycle. The Museum’s collections also include gravity racers, snowmobiles, motorcycles and mopeds.

First floor

The theme exhibition on the first floor of 2024 invites you on a journey to the land of the rising sun – the colorful history of the Japanese automotive industry! Step inside and experience a fascinating adventure in the world of Japanese cars, combining innovation, design and passion for vehicles.

Visitors to the special exhibition can admire wonderful rarities that tell the story of the development of Japanese cars and their impact on the world car market. The exhibition features legendary classics that have shaped the automotive industry and left an indelible mark on the consciousness of both Japan and the world.

Feel nostalgia take over your mind when you find familiar everyday classics from the 60s and 80s, which have also been a part of the everyday lives of Finns and world travelers. See and experience the stories of these legendary vehicles that have inspired generations and brought the Japanese automotive industry to global acclaim.

Come and take a peek at the golden age of the Japanese automotive industry!

Second floor

This part of the exhibition is devoted to sports cars and antique cars. The pearls of the exhibition presenting sports cars include therare Lancia Fulvia Zagato, the Volvo P1800S – made famous by Roger Moore in the 1962– 69 TV series The Saint – and the Triumph Spitfire. The exhibition also includes track and racing cars. Formula cars, Legends, BMW 2002 and Volvo Amazon will take you on a journey to the motorsport events of the past.

As an addition to the second floor in 2024. Finland’s first robot car “Marilyn 2.0” is on display. The car was donated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland to the car museum and is a real curiosity built in the early 2000s on a Citroën C4 chassis.

Third floor

Finska Motorfabriks Ab, which produced Olympia boat engines, and Bröderna Wickströms Motorfabrik Ab were the most famous historical engine manufacturers in Vaasa. In addition, there were dozens of smaller engine manufacturers in the city. This floor extends the cultural history of modern society beyond cars: an extensive exhibition of bicycles and motorcycles, as well as TVs and radios. You can also visit an old shop, hairdressing salon, a dwelling from a bygone era, and a car service and tyre workshop! One of the Museum’s great rarities is the Fauvel AV 36 C 1 glider, which was built in West Germany in 1958. The plane is called the ‘flying wing’. Its wingspan is about 12 metres. Only two examples are known to exist in the Nordic countries. Among the more unusual items in the Museum are the French Hispano-Suiza V8aeroplane engine from 1923 and the DC-3 passenger plane engine and propeller from 1942.

In addition, you will find model aeroplanes and other miniature objects on display.

The so-called Engine Day is held every autumn and offers something for everyone – not just car enthusiasts!