The Soviet government after the explosion of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki Hirasime and decided to build a facility in Balaklava, which in the case of a nuclear explosion could protect people and the necessary equipment. Leningrad Design Institute was drafted protective underground shelter in Balaklava. In 1853, this project has been personally examined by Josef Stalin, who personally signed off on it.

In December 1953, construction began on a secret project. In this construction it was invited to the military mining and construction team BSF. The builders had to work in three shifts around the clock in the chart. To help the squad in late 1955 to connect another detachment from the Caucasus builders metrostroevtsev. The plant was built in stages. The construction plan was given in installments. When the building was finished, there was a seizure of all documentation to the secret facility. Since 1957, the entrance to the Balaklava took place by special permission. In 1961, it completed construction of the plant. In 1963, construction began on the Arsenal. Arsenal was a repair and technical base, which serves all arms of submarines, as well as weapons for surface ships.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in March 1995, was taken from the bay of Balaklava the latest submarine. Since then, it ceased to exist naval base Balaklava.

At the end of 2002 in Balaklava began to create a museum of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The museum complex in Balaklava opened its doors to visitors on June 1, 2003. At that time, the museum had a staff of 18 people, headed by the head of the museum complex "Balaklava" - V.F.Sadovichenko. The museum exposition tells about the history of different times of the Navy: Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece, Kievan Rus', the creation of the Russian and Ukrainian fleets.

The exhibition, entitled "History of Naval Forces of Ukraine and its formation" is open from 1 August 2005. Its exposition tells about how formed the Ukrainian Navy. The museum has uniforms admiral - V.Beskorovaynogo and B.Kozhina. There are some items from the submarine "Zaporizhia": beacon, breathing apparatus for personal use, the winter form of a submariner. Also in the museum's collection stands there with the flags of the Navy and Military Forces of Ukraine, as well as various types of weapons.