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 permanent museum exhibition and heritage site in 2020.
The exhibition explains the role of the bunker in the context of the extraordinary worldwide tensions at that 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.
We are delighted to finally share the secrets of the bunker with the community and welcome visitors into this Cold War-era time capsule from the 1960s.
The Bunker is open Saturdays.
Preregister for 11 am tour at the link below
Drop-in tours on the hour 12 pm, 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm.
