On Thursday, September 10, 2026, the Technical Museum of Slovenia in Bistra opened a temporary visiting exhibition Tomos Drives into (Oblivion) Archives, created in cooperation with the Regional Archives Koper.
The event opened with welcoming speeches by Natalija Polenec, Director of the Technical Museum of Slovenia, and Nada Čibej, MSc, Director of the Regional Archives Koper. They highlighted the importance of preserving technical and documentary heritage, as well as the tremendous value of cooperation between museum and archival institutions.
This was followed by an engaging panel discussion featuring the exhibition authors and archivists Jan Cotič and Matej Muženič, former Director of the Two-Wheeler Division at TOMOS Iztok Vidmar, and Curator of the Transport Department at the Technical Museum of Slovenia Matevž Šlabnik. The discussion focused on rescuing archival material and the extraordinary value of the technical documentation that served as the foundation for the Koper factory’s development for decades.
The story began in the autumn of 2021 when the Regional Archives Koper learned that a vast amount of documentation—exposed to water, moisture, and mould—was hidden inside the abandoned building of the former Tomos Institute. In a rescue operation, archivists together with professors and students from the Koper Secondary Technical School salvaged approximately half a million technical drawings and numerous other documents. Due to a lack of suitable archival storage, the material temporarily found a home at the technical school in Koper. Unfortunately, analysis revealed that entire documentation series, particularly those regarding the legendary racing program, had been lost earlier; however, the remaining plans stand today as a precious testament to Tomos’s technical heritage.
What can you see at the exhibition?
The exhibition brings to the forefront a side of the Tomos story that is often hidden from the public. On display are:
- original documents on the founding of the TOMOS factory,
- technical drawings and original plans of legendary vehicles and engines,
- rare photographs, promotional posters, awards, and plaques.
This visiting exhibition will be on display in Bistra only until November 10, 2026.
Practical information for visitors:
- Location: Technical Museum of Slovenia, Bistra near Vrhnika
- Exhibition dates: From September 10 to November 10, 2026
- Museum opening hours: Information on opening hours is available at the link opening hours
- Tickets: Ticket prices can be viewed at the link price list
Photo: Luka Karlin
