base, weapons and alcohol are strictly prohibited; at the entrances, inspections are carried out by security staff with the help of metal detectors. Exhibits The museum hosts a wide variety of tanks and armored vehicles developed and used throughout the 20th century by the Soviets, Germans and many other nations. Around 60% of the exhibits are Soviet-era vehicles, with the most recent display being the Object 172, the prototype of the T-72 MBT. Apart from that, the only remaining Panzer VIII Maus, a captured British tank Mark V of the First World War (used by the White Russian forces during the Russian Civil War), the surviving Panzer I Ausf. F (which is an upgrade over the Panzer I), along with several different Hungarian, Polish, Japanese, South African, British and American vehicles – are on display as well. Apart from that, the museum also exhibits an Ilyushin Il-2 plane wreck, anti-tank artillery, a cutaway model of a V-2-34 engine and other miscellaneous items in the museum. Access Located in the outskirts of Moscow, Kubinka is easily accessible by suburban train from Belorussky railway station, Moscow. Until recently, the complex network of local trains and the lack of English language materials made it awkward to take the right train without knowledge of the Russian language. Since 2016, the Kubinka Tank Museum has 2 separate sites, 12 km2 each. Beginning in 2017, visitors can take the shuttle bus – available during official celebrations or special events (e.g. Army Forum or International Army Games, but not Tank Troop Day). Taxis can also be used, following up with microbus services and the assistance of other signage. Without knowledge of the Russian language, this is quite difficult to do. As such, it is recommended to use the services of an English-speaking guide. World War II history Kubinka was a top-secret armour testing range and proving ground from before World War II. All new designs from Russian research and design bureaus, facilities and factories had to be first tested here. Also, Nazi German tanks and armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) that were either captured by Soviet troops or donated by the Western Allies were also tested in Kubinka. Before Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, some German tanks and AFVs were sold to the Soviet Union and these were also tested at Kubinka. Some of these tanks included the Panzer I light tank, the Panzer II light tank and