An Unlikely Attraction
In the Russian city of Tolyatti, best known for its massive AvtoVAZ car factory, one of the largest auto plants in the world, an unexpected sight draws visitors: a 90-meter-long Tango-class submarine sitting inland, far from any sea.
It’s just one exhibit among hundreds at the city’s vast outdoor museum dedicated to Soviet and Russian technology. What began in 1998 as a project to complement the AvtoVAZ plant turned into the AvtoVAZ Technical Museum, opened in 2001 and later renamed in honor of K.G. Sakharov.
A Submarine Moves Inland
The transport of the Tango-class submarine to Tolyatti from St. Petersburg was a large-scale logistical feat. The submarine, weighing over 1,000 tons and stretching roughly 300 feet, had to be disassembled and carried by barge and truck across thousands of kilometers.
It was installed on the museum grounds in 2005. While its exterior became a highlight from the start, parts of the interior only became accessible to visitors in 2018, allowing them to walk inside a Cold War-era Soviet submarine without ever leaving central Russia.
Vehicles on Every Front
The museum spans 380,000 square meters and displays about 500 different machines, including aircraft, boats, armored vehicles, and locomotives. Military vehicles from World War I and II are showcased alongside postwar innovations like the Mil Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter and the 2S7 Pion, a massive self-propelled gun.
The museum also illustrates the development of domestic automotive production, particularly the history of AvtoVAZ models such as the Zhiguli and Lada.
Expanding the Timeline
In 2003, the museum expanded its focus with the addition of space exploration vehicles, including a rover. After its first decade, the institution was renamed the K.G. Sakharov History of Technology Park Complex, honoring the museum’s primary founder, a former AvtoVAZ executive.
In 2014, control of the museum transferred to the City of Tolyatti, and modernization plans were announced. Despite the formal name change, it is still widely referred to by its original title—the AvtoVAZ Technical Museum.
In the Russian city of Tolyatti, far from any coastline, a full-size Tango-class submarine sits on dry land.
It’s part of a vast open-air museum next to the AvtoVAZ car plant, where tanks, helicopters, spacecraft, and hundreds of other machines are displayed outdoors…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/InrlTottya
— Detective Tiger’s Stories (@TigerDetective) May 27, 2025