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Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum
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Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum

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See all things to do
Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum
4.5
#1 of 4 Fun & Games in Carp
Escape GamesSpeciality Museums
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
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About
Descend into history at one of the most unique tourist attractions in Canada! Originally designed originally designed as the centre for Canada’s defence against nuclear attack, this once-top secret, four-storey underground bunker is now a museum and national historic site. Explore over 100,000 sq ft of bunker secrets and relive the experience of the Cold War. With its extraordinary engineering and architectural features, the Diefenbunker now stands as a testament to the important role that Canada played during a critical period in recent world history.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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See what travellers are saying
  • jim
    Minneapolis, Minnesota163 contributions
    Great fun for Cold War History buffs
    This was a fun, though out of the way, site to see. I did one of the guided tours (same price as normal admission) with Brian, a retired veteran of the Cold War era, who brings a lot a lot of knowledge, personal history, and humor, to his tours. For those who go, I highly recommend timing it to go with him, or one of the other guides. The biggest problem is getting there. It's a bit of a drive from Ottawa, and getting back can be tricky, as there are no public transportation options, aside from on Wednesdays. (for what it is worth, I had better luck getting a return ride with Uber over Lyft). If you are a fan of Cold War History, you will enjoy it. However, if the Cold War isn't your thing, the drive and distance might not make it worthwhile to you.
    Visited December 2022
    Written December 13, 2022
  • Rosie M
    Ottawa, Canada42 contributions
    Family weekend fun!
    We took our two grandson’s here on the Sunday of family day weekend. It was pretty busy and I’m really happy we booked a 1:00 guided tour on-line a week before. There were only six of us in the tour and Graham our guide was friendly and very knowledgeable. Our 12-year old grade 7 grandson absolutely loved it. The eight-year old enjoyed the first half but after an hour it got a little too long for him. My husband and I have been here several times over the years. We were happy to introduce the grandkids to this slice of local Canadian history. We’ll be back!
    Visited February 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written February 19, 2023
  • Rick B
    1 contribution
    Great experience
    We came to Ottawa for the weekend and visited the Diefenbunker on recommendation of a friend. We had Brian as our tour guide, it was an awesome experience. Brian mixed humor with history lessons to help bring what life in the bunker would have been like. Would suggest that everyone should visit here to learn about this part of Canadian history.
    Visited February 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written February 25, 2023
  • 4boygrandma
    Ottawa, Canada7 contributions
    Excellent guide, remarkable place.
    Excellent tour guide who was knowledgeable and engaged both adults and children in our group. An amazing glimpse into a strange part of Canadian history. Well worth paying for the guided tour if possible.
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written March 13, 2023
  • Kevin B
    Ottawa, Canada1,356 contributions
    Awesome Experience!
    Back for our second visit. Still an awesome place to visit with all sorts of history behind it. Highly recommended for anyone with a desire to learn about our past. So cool to see 60’s technology.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 26, 2023
  • Lyndsay T
    Welland, Canada9 contributions
    Amazing & friendly staff who know their stuff
    Went on a guided tour with Graham this past Sunday and was thoroughly amazed by his extensive knowledge and passion for the bunker. Very incredible learning experience with a great sense of humour to make the historical subject matter fun for people not typically interested in history. Whole staff was incredibly friendly, and the bunker was amazingly well kept, 100% recommend booking the guided tour in advance as you can learn things you wouldn’t have been able to know just by looking around at the descriptions. Location is only a 30 min drive by car from downtown Ottawa- well worth the money as it is an entirely non profit historical site run by people who are passionate about the history.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written April 3, 2023
  • Arian A
    3 contributions
    AMAZING TIME
    AMAZING TIME!! Highly recommend getting a guided tour with one of the guides. They are very knowledgeable and make the experience that much more engaging, interactive, and interesting. Graham is an awesome guide!!! 5 stars, 10/10 experience, one of the best opportunities to experience an underrated price of Canadiana!!
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written April 3, 2023
  • Amina F
    1 contribution
    Amazing experience
    The experience in this place was amazing. We did a guided tour with Brian J. He was extremely knowledgeable, hilarious, and made the experience a blast. If anyone comes here I suggest doing the guided tour, you will learn things you otherwise wouldn’t. 10/10 experience, thank you Brian.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written April 22, 2023
  • cheryl w
    Ontario, Canada27 contributions
    Back To The 50's We Go
    I have been wanting to visit for years. It was worth the wait. If you can imagine a time where war might have been imminent. They had to plan for anything that might happen. Inside is a full surgical unit as it looked back in the day. All the original furniture, machines, computers (which are a hoot) phones are all there. The stair lift wasn't working proper so I rode the original service elevator. You don't necessarily have to like war and this also goes into the history back then in the various countries. Guides are well informed and will make your visit truly great.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written April 25, 2023
  • Alyssa R
    1 contribution
    Hidden Gem
    Highly recommend this museum! We had a wonderful tour with Graham who shared amazing stories from the Cold War Era! As history nerds this museum checked all the boxes! Will definitely be back for another tour and the escape rooms as well!
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written May 28, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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1,454 reviews
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travelbob
Ottawa, Canada2 contributions
A journey back in time
Oct. 2023 • Friends
A brilliant 1 1/2 hour trip back in time to an era that seems like a nightmare in these modern times. Our guide, Graham, was informaive and funny and kept us going through the complex with anecdotes that really made the history come alive. Well worth the visit.
Written October 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tracy R
48 contributions
Fun and unique attraction in Ottawa.
Oct. 2023 • Family
We weren’t really sure what to expect, but we weren’t disappointed!!! We decided to go on the guided tour, with Graham being our guide. He was really knowledgable but also quite funny. The tour took approx 1.5 hours with the opportunity to look at a few exhibits but I’m not really sure that it was necessary as Graham covered a lot of ground, we were free to have a look around outside on our own - there was a small walking trail.
Positives: All of it !!
Negatives : none really - except a bit more signage to the entrance as you have to walk up the tunnel, and turn right to the ticket office.
Written October 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michel T
Montreal, Canada4 contributions
Time travel to the 60's
Sep. 2023 • Family
It is unique. The Diefenbunker is different from any location we ever visited. It's well preserved and well presented. We took a guided tour which was fun, full of interesting facts, anecdotes and humour. Hard to believe in a place that sounds so sinister, but Brian was one of the most amusing and captivating guides ever.
Written October 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lorenzo el Jefe
Ontario, Canada3,176 contributions
Carpe Diem Diefenbunker ...
Sep. 2023 • Couples
Passed on this quirky but historic site too many times ... so we marked the calendar, and booked the tour.

The 'tour' with super guide Brian Jeffries is time well spent with this passionate, knowledgeable and engaging.

Brian was able to put some real perspective on a very different time.

The display area are great with tons of information.

Overall we did the 'time warp.'

Q-Trip: Book the tour.

Q-Trip: Half day walking Almonte complemented our day out.
Written September 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maximiliano V
Osorno, Chile27 contributions
Awesome trip to the Cold War
Sep. 2023 • Family
We had a Blast!
Awesome experience, we took the guided tour and was worthy every penny, we learn a lot from and got a super close impression of how the atmosphere was while during the Cold War in Canada.
Totally recommended for anyone. Maybe not to interesting for small kids, my 7 yo was a bit tired at some point.
Written September 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Canada_Leblanco
Ottawa, Canada14 contributions
Fascinating visit!
Sep. 2023 • Family
We had a wonderful guided tour by Graham! If you visit, be sure to take the tour as this is the best way to get a good appreciation for the Museum! It is a fascinating piece if our Canadian history, and not from too many years ago!
Written September 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barry G
191 contributions
A must see
Sep. 2023 • Friends
Provides incredible insight to Canada's response to the Cold War. Brian was a great guide, informative and entertaining.
Written September 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linda S
12 contributions
Behind the scenes during the Cold War
Aug. 2023 • Couples
Having grown up during the Cold War, this museum brought back many memories for me of the time when nuclear attack was a real possibility. Our guide, Graham, was very knowledgeable and also very witty. He offered us a lot of anecdotal information which made the tour especially enjoyable. This is a visit that should not be missed.
Written August 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hillarych
New York City, NY19 contributions
One of the most unique places in the world.
Aug. 2023 • Family
We were fortunate to catch a tour, v a self-guided trip with a guide who had worked at the facility in the 1970s. He made the tour amazing with in depth insight and fun stories.
Written August 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert D
1 contribution
We were prepared.
Aug. 2023 • Solo
A good refresher for older Canadians. Afternoon well spent. The hour tour lasted 2 hours. Also a seniors discount.
Written August 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum (Carp, Ontario): Hours, Address, Free, Top-Rated Attraction Reviews - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum
Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum is open:
  • Wed - Fri 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
  • Sat - Sun 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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