As a history buff making this trip was a no brainer. This cold war era bunker is maintained exceptionally well and really lays out what would have happened if a nuclear attack was going to occur and how the Canadian government would continue to operate. They mentioned that a lot of the sinks, showers, etc still worked also. Seeing equipment that was considered top of the line back the bunker was first operational was truly extraordinary also. read more

The Diefenbunker is a must-see in the Ottawa area. Built in just 18 months (1959-1961), this four-story underground bunker was designed to protect 535 people for 30 days during a nuclear attack. The tour is unforgettable: you walk through a blast tunnel, go through decontamination, and see the medical bays and command rooms. The details are fascinating--from the propaganda rooms and rows of rainbow-colored typewriters to the simple cafeteria and commissary. It is history kept perfectly in time. The museum's leadership is just as impressive as the history. They have turned this site into a busy, successful business by offering escape rooms, summer camps, and private events. They make sure every inch of this bunker is used. Before you go, check out their event calendar. You aren't just taking a tour; you are seeing a masterclass in how to keep a museum thriving. read more

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Diefenbunker is a unique museum highlighting a very specific time in our history, namely the Cold War years. It is unique, educational, and eye-opening. They obviously went through a lot of work to convert this into a museum, to maintain it, and to create the wealth of educational documentation provided. As someone old enough to remember the latter part of this era, there were a lot of memories here. It was also fun, as a former employee of a large computer company, to see all the old devices still set up as if someone were about to use them. If you do stroll through the museum, there are decals on the floor indicating directions you can go to see everything, but at some intersections, they conflict. Better yet, pick p a map near the entrance, with the floor plan and all the room numbers. read more

The Diefenbunker has been on my list of museums to check out for years. I absolutely love the 1950's era, and was in awe at how the whole bunker has been left untouched. From the pastel yellow and blue paint used to the decorations in each room, it was quiet the experience to look at, and a step back in time. Walking through the tunnel upon entrance was chilly, literally, cold. Bring a sweater. The temperature in the rest of the museum was fine. My 5 year old thought it was cool in the beginning, but got extremely creeped out mid tour, and decided it was time to go. My 2 year old loved it and was laughing the whole time. Keep in mind there is not much for children to do here, but walk, and look. Keep an eye out for the TV and green chair that is set up. They were rolling commercials and announcements from that time era. It was pretty cool to watch. Parking on site, bring a lunch as there is no food to purchase on site (that I could find anyways). 5 and under free entry. read more

Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum - Museums Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

This was so much fun and had so many interesting things to learn about. We had family visiting us from out west and they wanted to go see something cool and we took them here and we had a blast! We had a tour guild who took us through the museum, they didn't show us all of it but he took us to the bottom and then let us work our way back up on our own terms or go back and check out the places we didn't see. The guide was very knowledgeable and definitely had a passion for this type of thing which made the whole experience just that much better. read more

Highly recommended spot for visitors or residents. Combine it with a stop in Carp village for a meal or snack. The museum is a superb combination of collection, presentation and setting - it will be interesting to boomers with memories of the Cold War but also to younger generations. Check out the special events options! read more

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Great tour, neat site, the best tour guide! Definitely worth coming here, and I cannot imagine doing it without the guided tour. We learned so much from the guide, which was sweetened by him having worked here for 3 years when it first opened. I don't think there's another site like this in the world. Please, do yourself a favor --pay the money and schedule the tour ahead of time! read more

Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum - Tunnel - Museums Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

This tour/history/detailed information exceeded our expectation. Our tour guide was Gilles and he was excellent/ informed and humorous throughout our tour. Would highly recommend! read more

It was a trip back in time to a dangerous era in human history. Very interesting to see the construction and expectations of the site during that time period. The Entire bunker is filled with informative displays as well as an operating radio room with live communications using the old technology. read more

Excellent place to visit. We did our own walk around tour and it was really neat to see a nuclear bomb bunker that basically stayed as it was during the cold war. Each room has ALOT of memorabilia pertaining to and set up correctly. The staff were super friendly as well. They have a website that provides an audio tour or you can book one. Kid friendly and fully handicap accessible as well. read more

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This museum was awesome! It was so interesting. Our guide Brian Jeffrey was so excellent - incredibly knowledgeable, informative and funny! Absolutely loved our tour and wished we had more time to explore. Highly recommend.! read more

Guided by Graham through the Bunker was an informative tour. Recommend it to all interested in Cold War history.

Good museum experience. The service here was wonderful because the staff here were extremely polite and nice and they did a good job on the tour I went on. The museum was good because it was untouched and in very good condition. The best room I saw was the Prime minister's bedroom. The museum was clean and there was never a mess. For the reasons I have stated in this review, I highly recommend you check this place out. read more

I'm so glad we made time to visit this museum. It's a little tricky to get to from Ottawa so we had to rent a car. I read other reviews that didn't recommend taking a Lyft or Uber there. The drive there isn't too bad. We spent several hours at the museum but had to rush a little at the end because it was closing. This museum is so informative and immersive, especially as a Californian tourist with limited knowledge of Canadian history. There were a lot of families visiting with kids while we were there. My SO and I came back in the evening for the escape room which we reserved online ahead of time. We thought we'd be the only ones but another group reserved it after we did so we became a group of ten. They have different escape scenarios based on your group size so it's fine either way. It's the world's largest escape room so traveling between rooms will take up some time when you're trying to escape. We got out with 1 minute and 1 second to spare. The employees were really fun to chat with and gave us some tips of where to go in Ottawa as tourists. As a museum, this is unique opportunity to learn history in a decommissioned Cold War bunker. It also helped visiting before doing the escape room so we were a little more familiar with the layout. I would recommend doing both for anyone in area or visiting. read more

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Real time capsule! Awesome museum, great collection and superb tour! Great and informative place, 3 hours were not enough to dive in the real 60s-80s atmosphere! read more

If you're an history buff this is a must visit. Lots of nostalgia here from the Cold War history. The command center for the government of canada if there was a nuclear attack. Not a difficult drive there, located in the city of Carp Ontario about 20 km approximately, west of Ottawa. read more

This place is a nice little secret, and it has a lot of interesting history to share. There are options for guided tours if you want to go through quick, but you'll miss out on a lot of info. There is a lot of reading about all kinds of things from cold war and nuclear threats to planning, construction and medical care at the time. There are many displays showing what life was like for the staff that actually did work there, and really give contrast to how far technology has evolved. The vault 4 storey down was very cool to see. There are washrooms and even a chairlift for wheelchair access. The space is chilly, but comfortable. My wife and I spent over 3 hours touring and probably could have stayed longer but we got hungry and rushed the end. If you are the type to really immerse yourself, come well fed. read more

The Diefenbunker is a gem and a must-see if you visit Ottawa. It's a 4-story underground bunker built to protect the Canadian government during a nuclear attack. Visit the prime minister's office, see emergency escape hatches, tour the eerie cafeteria, walk through decontamination showers, see the CBC's disaster broadcast studio. It gives off surreal, Pripyat vibes. Amazingly, at the last moment, before it was flooded or its entrances filled in with concrete, it was preserved. Thank God. It's an invaluable time capsule, not only of Cold War history, but also of mid-century design and decor. It's very easy to get here from Ottawa, and the tickets are relatively cheap and help preserve the bunker, which gets no government funding. This is a labor of love for all who work and volunteer here. They even have working Cold War-era ham radio equipment. I wish I could give it 10 stars. read more

This was the best museum tour I've ever been on. Brian the guide was amazing. He was extremely knowledgeable and kept us laughing and guessing. read more

I had a tour there the other day and it was great! Our tour guide introduced herself as Kailey I think and she was really good about answering all of our questions. It's really nice to get to experience history like this! It's a really unique experience and I would suggest it to anyone visiting from out of town. read more

The Diefenbunker is a brief drive from Ottawa and was definitely worth our time. I've never experienced anything like it. We love forts, defense plans, and secret rooms so this was really interesting. First of all when you arrive it looks like no one is there. In fact we thought the place was closed because the ticket booth outside was shut down but then we realized the building doors were open and it lead to an underground world. Once we got past the long tunnel, our fears were calmed. Finally we saw another human being. The Diefenbunker is a popular place for field trips. There were a few school buses outside. We opted to take the self guided tour. Occasionally we ran into groups of school children in various rooms. It got very loud and crowded and we had to wait until they moved on to the next room. The place itself is quite amazing. It was built to be a refuge for government and military officials in case a nuclear war hit. Everything in the building are the original items. As you can see they pretty much thought of everything from radios, computers, phones, medical, food services, etc. Now decommissioned, it is a museum but could very well be the setting in a sci-fi movie or safe place from zombies. The place gives me the creeps but is really fascinating. read more

So much information here. We ran out of energy before we ran out of things to see. I highly recommend the tour. The tour guide provided a great personal POV on the time and the artifacts. Very knowledgeable. Funny too. read more

Our 14 year old grandson is a history buff. He thoroughly enjoyed the visit. Our tour guide was very well informed about the history of the museum. Very easy to spend several hours exploring the bunker, unless you are prone to claustrophobia. read more

We can't say enough about the Diefenbunker's children's birthday parties! Well-organized, affordable, and so much FUN! Each of our kids have had a spy party there over the years, and our most recent party (May 2023) had amazing hosts. Highly recommended! read more

I've lived in Ottawa my whole life and i just recently went down to the Diefenbunker. It's such a surreal feeling to be there, and you totally get transported to a time where the world felt in crisis and felt they needed a place to feel safe. If you're in the Carp area (or just looking for something different and fun to do) take a trip to the 'Bunker and explore it. There are some really cool events coming up too! read more

Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum - Blast Tunnel @ Diefenbunker - Museums Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

always the tourist place I like to take visitors. never disappoints. the guide Brian was super funny and knowledgeable!

So interesting! I'm not someone who loves war museums but I did really appreciate this museum. It's about so much more than weapons and tactics. There's a bank, a morgue, a dentist and doctor office, a jail, and much more. It's like a human ant farm. See and appreciate all the items we need for a mini surviving civilisation. You can get a free pass from the library. It takes a little time to get here since it's in Carp and it takes a little while to visit, seeing as it's four floors. The staff is very knowledgeable and excited to impart their knowledge. They've refurbished the 'bunker to it's 1950s state so it's easy to 'put yourself in their shoes'. Enjoy. read more

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Very cool museum, especially since this was my first time visiting an underground bunker. Just entering through the blast tunnel in front was cool. Inside these sterile government rooms, there was actually alot to see and absorb. The bunker has about four levels, with the fourth and third floors being the most extensive, then the cafeteria, bar, and bank vault on the second and first floors. Give yourself plenty of time to read the information on the walls and to look around. I was most thrilled by the medical centre, the decontamination room, the War Cabinet Room, and the Prime Minister's suite. It's definitely worth the 30 minute drive outside the city if you haven't explored a bunker before. read more

Graham was a great guide and the bunker was so interesting. If you get the time , definitely do the tour.

Why isn't this place advertised more?? My parents were in town and we were looking for things to see and do. We were grabbing random pamphlets at the downtown tourist centre and the name of this place, the Diefenbunker, grabbed my attention. It is a bit of a drive out of Ottawa, it is located near Carp. You will need a car to get there. We were expecting this place to be kind of lame, but honestly it was one of the best museums I have been to in Ottawa. Lots of information on how Canada reacted to the Cold War as well as information about how the bunker would have operated. You can walk into a lot of the rooms and see how things were set up. If you do go, make sure to get the audio tour. They give you this little ipod-like thing that has different tracks for each exhibit as well as little videos. It was really well done. read more

This is a really neat time capsule of history. Everything in the museum is as it was when the Diefenbunker was created. The original bathrooms are still functional, the medical lab shows just how far we have come, and the history associated with the bunker is really quite sad; everyone who would have had a place in the bunker would have had to go alone - no family. What a choice! Recently they have set up an Escape room in the bunker. The adventure is for 12 people that split into three groups and all parts of the challenge must be solved to come together in one big finally to escape. It was really well done, and set up in a way that people can attempt the room more than once without spoiling anything! It's absolutely worth a visit just to take in the history. I believe they also do children's Birthday parties as there was a group leaving as we arrived. Bit of a drive - but totally worth it. Check out the Cheshire Cat pub in the same area while you are there: makes a good day out! read more

So much better than I expected. and definitely worth the drive if Cold War history (or Dr. Strangelove) is interesting to you. It really is a slice of what it would have been like for Canadians if "the big one" dropped. This is not just a museum, it is the actual bomb shelter and command headquarters where some 100 people reported for work every day during the height of the Cold War. Of particular note was the Prime Minister's bedroom (makes Motel 6 look like luxury), the vast computer nerve centre which has all the computing power of a modern iPod, and the gallows humour of the cafeteria signage ("You're lucky to be alive so just eat it.") The staff and volunteers are terrific. Some of the older volunteers actually worked there when it was operational! I've been to a lot of museums, seen a lot of historic sites, but I have honestly never visited anything like the Diefenbunker. read more

Although I'd been once many years ago, my memories were dim and I figured I'd be bored in minutes. Not at all! This place - while never actually used, of course - is fascinating. Of course, history enthusiasts know why they will like this place. But even those without a penchant for Cold War stories will be interested in the decor (stripes everywhere!), the bunks, the cafeteria, the hospital, the war room. Our tour guide was great, and the group was small; optimal question-asking time for curiosos like my family and me. Also, a great place for photo ops perched on bombs ;) read more

Such a cool museum. You get to walk around an underground bunker from the Cold War era. Lots of things to read and see. Child friendly. read more

Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum - Museums Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Pretty neat to have a museum in a bunker... but it's lack luster as a museum. The opportunity to check out the bunker is where it's at with this place, but it's pricy and in the middle of nowhere. You can download an audio (with a few pictures) tour from their website for free which is about 90% of what we got on our guided tour. I agree with Laura S. about the surreal feelings, but I wish they would put a little more work into the exhibits or open more of the rooms to explore. This could be an amazing place if it had some oomph! read more

For a history enthusiast, visiting the Diefenbunker, named after Canada's post-war Prime Minister John G. Diefenbaker, was a must-visit. It pays homage to Canada's part in the Cold War, and features artifacts from the Cold War period from the late 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. What is cool about this place is that it was originally built to withstand a nuclear attack, and was in fact a secret bunker. The structure and outline of the building definitely has that bunker feel from the outside, but they've done a great job of making it feel like a cozy (relatively speaking) museum from the inside. There are several archives, and a research library that has some fascinating material that one interested in the subject spend hours in itself. While there could be more archives and material, considering this museum is still relatively young (celebrating its 10th year), that is expected. It's worth a full day visit for Canadian history buffs, and a good one to two hours for non-history geeks. read more

Way cool place to visit. I didn't know what to expect when we first drove up to this building in a hill in the middle of nowhere. We chose to do a self guided tour and we rented the iPods (MAKE SURE TO BRING YOUR OWN HEADPHONES!). We explored every room we could of this elaborate, giant, structure underground. It is amazing to see the technology that went into the building, and how much technology has evolved since its construction. The self guided tour was perfect to listen to, no segment was too long or too brief. I felt that I had an understanding for each room and it's function for the worst case scenario that they were prepared for. Great time capsule for Canadian history! read more

Pretty neat place! This little known museum/former bunker is quite a gem filled with items from the last 50 years. It is a huge compound and the tour was surprisingly educational. If you are looking for something neat to do and see, go and visit this place. Well worth the short drive outside of the city. read more

The Diefenbunker is a unique institution in Ottawa. But if you want to see how Canada reacted to the Cold War this is the place. Designed to protect over 500 people in the case of a nuclear attack, it was supposed to enable the government of Canada to continue governing. Good for kids. read more

Fabulous place. Well worth the drive out to Carp. It's a time capsule - full of marvelous secrets around every corner.