Behind the Scenes

What Would You Do?

What Would You Do?

Over the last several months, we’ve been asking visitors to step into the shoes of the 500 to 600 government officials, military personnel, and civilians who had designated roles within the Diefenbunker between 1962 and 1994. These roles, ranging from health care...

Collage image of various roles within the Diefenbunker.

Celebrating 10 Years of Art Underground

We are commemorating the 10th anniversary of our Artist-in-Residence program, which has fostered connections between the museum, local artists, and the wider Ottawa community since 2014. The Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum is seeking applications for its...

Digitizing our Collections

Thanks to funding through the Digital Access to Heritage component of Canadian Heritage’s Museums Assistance Program (MAP), the Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum has been able to take significant steps toward digitizing its collections holdings. In August of...

Digitization Assistant, Kyle Judd Lunt, photographs an artifact from the Diefenbunker's collections.

Digitization Project

Thanks to funding through the Digital Access to Heritage component of Canadian Heritage's Museums Assistance Program (MAP), the Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum has been able to take significant steps toward digitizing its collections holdings. We are pleased...

Diefenbunker blueprint with a hand wearing a glove.

HVAC Project

On Monday, March 20, 2023, passersby may have noticed a sky-high crane at our site lifting large equipment along the bunker hillside. We are eager to share a behind-the-scenes look at this major capital project for the Diefenbunker. Due to generous funding we have...

Green Infrastructure Lighting Retrofit Project

Wednesday, July 6, 2022 —  We are grateful to FedDev Ontario for investing $600,000 in the Diefenbunker to support tourism relief and revitalization. These funds will go towards upgrading our facilities and exhibitions, allowing us to expand our inclusion of...

Federal Warning Centre with upgraded lighting

Mapping the Cold War: The Spatialization of Preparedness

Introduction On Monday, August 15, 2022 and Tuesday, August 16, 2022, we were pleased to host a symposium at the Diefenbunker in partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University. Mapping the Cold War: The Spatialization of Preparedness brought multidisciplinary experts...

Symposium participants gather in the Cafeteria

Ever wonder how to heat and cool a nuclear Bunker?

. Did you know that there is no heating and cooling machinery inside the bunker to support day-to-day operations? The Bunker relies on the geothermal system from the earth around it for heating and cooling.Fun facts: The coolest day of the year inside the Bunker on...

Air conditioner

CFS Carp Winter Carnival

Every February, the nation’s capital hosts Winterlude, a festival to celebrate the best winter has to offer. The first Winterlude was hosted in 1979, but before then, Canadian Forces Station Carp (CFS Carp, aka the Diefenbunker) had our own way of getting out into...

Five people playing tug-of-war in the snow as a part of the Winter Carnival.
Book Now