With the temporary exhibition “In Blue and White: The Phenomenon of the Adria Caravan,” the Technical Museum of Slovenia is celebrating six decades of caravan manufacturing tradition in Slovenia. The caravans, which began to be manufactured in 1965 by the company Industrija motornih vozil Novo mesto (IMV), first established themselves as a first-class export item on Western markets and gradually made their way to the top of the European market. At home, holiday caravans became established with a slight delay, which was aided by the gradual development of living standards. IMV, which actively encouraged work organizations to buy them, effectively reached end consumers at home with its smallest and cheapest caravan model, which was nicknamed Palčica in the press. Due to its low weight, it could be easily towed even by less powerful cars, such as the Zastava Fico, which was widespread at the time, or another IMV sales hit, the Katrca. Despite its small size, with a few adjustments, the Adria 305 still allowed a family of four to go on vacation.

It was precisely the IMV Adria Caravan 305 Turist that enriched the collections of the Technical Museum of Slovenia at the end of 2023. The smallest representative of the first generation of Adria caravans was donated to the museum by the Koporc family almost five decades after its purchase. From the time of its purchase in the late 1970s until 2015, Palčica was a faithful family companion on annual vacations in Istria. The blue and white caravan was accompanied by a canvas awning produced by Induplati from Jarše, which, together with other holiday accessories, provided all the comforts of a holiday apartment. In its new role as an exhibit at the Technical Museum of Slovenia, the Adria Caravan 305 Turist will bear witness to the innovation of domestic engineers, the far-reaching vision of the region’s economic development, balanced industrial design, and popularity among end users at holiday camps.

You are invited to get to know the Adria at the exhibition as an industrial, design, and user phenomenon.