One of Slovenia’s most complete vehicle collections began with one man’s passion – and has now put a small village on the tourist circuit.

Petja Grom studied to be an architect and eventually opened his own construction company in Italy, but he was always passionate about vintage motorcycles. Eventually, he decided to quit his company, return to his native village of Vransko in the Savinja Valley, and establish a museum devoted to his hobby.

Today, the Grom Motorcycle Museum describes itself as “one of the largest and most diverse” museums of its kind in the world. Its collection includes about 150 motorcycles, some of which date back to the first years of the 20th century. Several were designed by Janez Puch, a Slovenian entrepreneur who established a motorcycle factory in the Austrian town of Graz. Also on display are various Harleys, Indians, and other legendary brands.

The museum’s collection is impressive by any measure -- a fact recognized at various international gatherings of vintage vehicles. Recently, one of Grom’s Puch motorcycles, a Model N, won a prestigious award at an event in Villa D’Este, Italy. It is one of only two preserved Model Ns in the world.

As extensive as it is, Grom’s collection of motorcycles is not everything the museum has to offer. Visitors get a chance to examine all kinds of bike-related paraphernalia, from vintage clothing to badges, license plates, and posters.

Since the museum opened in 1997, it has succeeded in drawing new visitors to Vransko. In fact, Grom is determined to capitalize on the museum’s popularity and has opened both a restaurant and a bed and breakfast. He also convinced authorities to put an official brown billboard advertising the museum by the side of the freeway that passes near Vransko. The Motorcycle Museum became only the second tourist attraction in Slovenia to receive such official recognition.

Vransko is already reaping the rewards of this newly found publicity. Long known for its hop-growing tradition, it is an increasingly popular stop for travelers passing between Ljubljana and eastern Slovenia. In addition to Grom’s motorcycles, visitors can now also tour old hop-processing facilities and visit the village’s newest attraction – a museum devoted to the long history of firefighting in the area.