Since the scientist Ferdinand Verbiest created a steam wagon for the Chinese emperor in 1672, marking the beginning of the world automobile industry, interest in this industry has not waned. Some vehicles have long ceased to be means of transport, becoming works of art. Museums of classic cars are opening all over the world. Their fantastic exhibits amaze with the luxury or amazing history, like those shown in the famous museum "Myshkin Samohod", located within the Ethnographic Museum in the town of Myshkin. Intended to bring owners and lovers of rare equipment together to exchange their experiences on its restoration and conservation, the museum quickly became one of the main attractions of the town. Today, it displays vintage cars and motorcycles, donated by enthusiastic "garage collectors", such as the front-line driver Nikolai Osokin. Thanks to him, the museum collection was replenished with Soviet military trucks ZIS-5 of 1944 and GAZ-AA of 1938. These vehicles became the first exhibits of the "Myshkin Samohod" in 2005. Today, the museum even contains riverboats. The most noteworthy exhibits include sausage and lemonade machines of the 19th century, a steam locomotive, and the legendary Soviet car GAZ-M1, popularly called "emka". The museum also features Western representatives of the automotive industry, including the public's favorite American army car of the Second World War called Willys MB. In addition to classic cars, visitors can see various expositions of vintage household appliances: telephones, radios, and televisions.

Thanks to the administration and volunteers of the museum, Myshkin has hosted the annual festival of retro technology "Samohod" since 1998. This festival is the oldest in Yaroslavl Oblast and the only one in the country with the "gubernatorial" status. Moreover, the town celebrated the opening day of the 60th anniversary of Victory memorial in 2005 with a parade of military machinery with drivers dressed in military uniforms of those years.