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Explore the Barnton Quarry Nuclear Bunker near Edinburgh on a guided tour. Discover the secrets of this Cold War installation and learn about its role in the UK's defense system.

Highlights

• Step into history and explore a Cold War bunker just minutes from the city centre
• Discover the secrets of the UK's ROTOR radar defense system
• Learn about the bunker’s role as Scotland’s Regional Seat of Government
• See where RAF crews tracked Soviet bombers during the Cold War
• Visit a BBC studio where the four-minute warning would be broadcast

Description

Discover Scotland’s Cold War secret with a guided tour of a formerly abandoned Nuclear Bunker, just minutes from Edinburgh’s city center. Explore a vast three-story R4-class Cold War installation, once designed to keep the government running in the aftermath of a nuclear attack. Built in the early 1950s as part of the UK’s top-secret ROTOR radar defense system, this “underground city” was later transformed into Scotland’s Regional Seat of Government – the very site where leaders, civil servants, and even the Royal Family would have been rushed in the event of nuclear war. Descend deep below ground, stepping into raw, atmospheric spaces that still bear the scars of neglect alongside carefully restored spaces filled with new interpretation. Stand where young RAF crews once tracked Soviet bombers, discover a BBC studio where the four-minute warning would be broadcast to the nation, and learn how officials prepared to govern “from the ashes.” This is more than a museum. It’s an immersive encounter with the fear, secrecy, and resilience of the Cold War – a chance to imagine life sealed underground for weeks, and to reflect on the realities of living under the shadow of nuclear war.

Includes

Guided tour of Barnton Quarry Nuclear Bunker Access to restored and raw spaces Historical insights into the Cold War era

Important Information

• Tours last one hour. Tours run on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30am, 12pm, 2pm, and 3:30pm. Bring a jumper with you, even in the summer months as the bunker is cold.

Easy cancellation

Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund