During the height of the Cold War, in the 1950s and 1960s, 50 bunkers were constructed across Canada. Their purpose was to shelter up to 8,000 officials in the event of a nuclear war.
Few people – including us – knew about the existence of Nelson’s own bunker located in the Gray Building next to the museum until around 2013. We now know that the bunker was built around 1964 to house 70 selected individuals from our community; all sworn to secrecy.
Following major renovations that included new collections storage facilities and a designated exhibition space, the Nelson Bunker opened as a permanent museum exhibition and heritage site in 2020.
The exhibition explains the bunker’s role in the context of the extraordinary worldwide tensions of the time. Many of the items on display are original to the bunker. A short documentary film features interviews with individuals affected. Expert guides are available to take you through the space and answer questions.
From iodine pills and Geiger counters to board games and ashtrays – you are invited to explore the vast measures taken to create normalcy in an extraordinary time.
Thank you for registering for a guided tour of Nelson’s Cold War Bunker!
You can pre-register for Guided Bunker Tours Wednesday-Friday at 1pm (June-September) and Saturdays (year round) at 11am. Guided Bunker Tours are also offered on Saturdays at 12pm, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm on a first come first served basis. Please arrive at the Nelson Museum main lobby a few minutes before the tour to pay admission. Admission rates are $14 for adults/seniors and FREE for youth under 19.
Our address is 502 Vernon Street, at the corner of Ward and Vernon streets. Ramp access is available at the Ward Street entrance. If you require accessible entry to the Cold War Bunker, please email collections@nelsonmuseum.ca to arrange wheelchair access.
The Bunker is open Saturdays year round.
Preregister for the 1 pm weekday tours (June-Septmber) and 11 am Saturday tour at the link below.
Drop-in tours on the hour 12 pm, 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm.
