The Irbit Motorcycle Museum was officially opened on June 25, 2004. Its foundation was the collection of motorcycles from the Irbit Motorcycle Plant, gathered over 60 years in the chief designer's department.

Motorcycle production in Irbit began in late 1941, early 1942, when the Moscow Motorcycle Plant was evacuated to this Ural city. This decision was made based on a resolution by the Evacuation Council under the USSR Council of People's Commissars dated October 21, 1941. The first train from Moscow arrived in Irbit on November 17, 1941, and on the roof of one of the cars was a prototype motorcycle BMW R-71. It was during this time that the Irbit Motorcycle Plant began to form its unique collection of motorcycles, which included both foreign and domestic designs. In the chief designer's department, these samples served as a creative laboratory for engineers and testers. In December 2002, thanks to the initiative of A. I. Bulanov and the support of the governor of the Sverdlovsk region E. E. Rossel and the chairman of the government A. P. Vorobyov, the city administration purchased this collection, preserving it in Irbit.

The museum's collection includes over 120 units of equipment, including motorcycles, microcars, and all-terrain vehicles produced by IMZ. More than 40 motorcycles represent leading manufacturers from England, Germany, Italy, the USA, and Japan.

The museum also features a collection of internal combustion engines, primarily consisting of experimental models made at IMZ. The Irbit collection is unique and reflects the main trends in the development of both domestic and global motorcycle manufacturing.

Currently, only one-third of the entire collection is presented in the museum's exhibition, distributed across seven sections.

Before creating the exhibition, a scientific study of the museum items was conducted: the authenticity of the exhibits and their parts was confirmed, technical parameters, appearance, design, and manufacturing dates were clarified. Exhibits with confirmed characteristics were selected for the exhibition based on a comprehensive thematic principle, ensuring that each exhibit corresponded to the theme of the section.

The motorcycle models in the exhibition sections are arranged according to a historical-chronological principle. The communicative aspect of each exhibit is ensured by its optimal placement, good lighting, and the provision of clear and comprehensive labels for visitors.