We continue to highlight fascinating museums that aren't widely known. This time, we'll discuss the Urban Electric Transport Museum in St. Petersburg. It's located in one of the city's most historic areas—Vasilievsky Island. The museum is situated at the site of St. Petersburg's first tram depot, at 77 Medium Avenue, Vasilievsky Island.
How to Get There
Take the metro to the "Vasileostrovskaya" station (green line). After exiting the station, turn left and walk along Medium Avenue, Vasilievsky Island. The museum is located at the former Tram Depot No. 2 named after A. P. Leonov. Look for the entrance gate; you can access the museum through it.
What to See
The museum features numerous exhibits dedicated to the development of electric (and other) public transport in St. Petersburg. The collection includes an omnibus—a two-story horse-drawn bus—and its predecessor, the horse-drawn railcar known as a “konka.”
You can explore the museum either as part of a guided tour or independently. We chose the latter. Right at the entrance, you'll find the trolleybus exhibit, showcasing both the earliest models and later serial versions. Moving further inside, you’ll see trams from various eras, starting with the very first one from 1907. The museum offers a comprehensive history of this mode of transport.
A small section of the exhibit is dedicated to special trams used for internal purposes. The most intriguing exhibit is the laboratory tram, used to inspect the quality of tracks and contact networks.
A unique feature of the museum is the free access to most exhibits. You can enter almost any vehicle, which is quite exciting as it allows you to immerse yourself in the era. The museum also offers various quests for children. St. Petersburg has several other transport-related exhibits, such as the Metro Museum and the Russian Railways Museum. Don’t miss the chance to visit them as well, as they also offer many interesting exhibits.
In summary:
- Excellent tram and trolleybus exhibits;
- Opportunity to enter nearly all exhibits;
- Chance to take retro photos.
