About us

This online museum is administered by non-government organisation (NGO) Estonian Bicycle Museum (in Estonian - MTÜ Eesti Jalgrattamuuseum).

Estonian Bicycle Museum NGO is a non-government organisation established in the late 2010s by a group of enthusiasts interested in the history of bicycles in Estonia. The purpose of the museum is to value the history of a bicycle as a vehicle and to operate a physical Bicycle Museum in Väätsa (central part of Estonia).

We primarily focus on the era preceding the 1950s, comprising the Russian Czarist (before-1918) period, the first independent Republic of Estonia (1920s-30s) and World War II. We also try to preserve and value the heritage of the Soviet times (1950s-80s), because the bicycles of that era have disappeared from daily use and for younger generation they are as rare as the bicycles from the first half of the 20^th century.

The collection of the members of the NGO currently contains more than five hundred historical bicycles related to Estonia. Some of them have preserved in more or less original form, restored or assembled in their original or equivalent form. There are still huge amount of bicycles in need of restoration – many of them are just ravaged with age, but some of them are wrecked and require lots of work to become presentable. We do our best and try to assemble and restore them as well, especially the rare ones.

In addition to bicycles, the collections of the members of our NGO contain tons of old bicycle details and gadgets (headlights, driving licences, purchase receipts, sales ads, etc.), as well as myriad of historical bicycle pictures (taken in Estonia).

This online museum is created in order to support and promote a physical museum  and our material collection. With the support of EU-funded LEADER programme, we have completed the first stage of the online museum, introducing the top selection of our collections.

Despite relatively young age of the Estonian Bicycle Museum, its founding members have actively researched the bicycle history, and collected and restored historical bicycles for more than 25 years. We have shown many of our historical bicycles at the various oldtimer parades and exhibitions across Estonia since 1999.

Besides planning the construction of a physical museum, the association also engages in the following activities that help to value the history of bicycles:

•  Management of current online museum, which helps to review certain part of collections.
• Organisation of events to promote history of bicycles and technology (competitions, games, fairs, etc.).
• Organisation of individual exhibitions of anything related to bicycles.
• Enhancement of cooperation with bicycle enthusiasts and bicycle historians worldwide.
• Development of cooperation with other Estonian associations, companies and private persons dealing with old technology.
• Collection and storage, as well as purchase and sales of historical bicycles, components, and other related items. 
• Conservation and restoration of historical bicycles, components, and other related items.
•  Establishment of technical base necessary for restoration of historical bicycles.
• Organisation of benefit events to raise funds to achieve museum’s objectives.
• Publishing.

Majority of our NGO members are from Järva County (middle-Estonia).