York Cold War Bunker

York Cold War Bunker Designed as a nerve-centre to monitor fall-out in the event of a nuclear attack, York Cold War Bunker uncovers the secret history of Britain's Cold War.

The cold war impacted virtually every part of life betwen 1960 and 1991. Pop culture was a huge part of this, with movie...
29/08/2026

The cold war impacted virtually every part of life betwen 1960 and 1991. Pop culture was a huge part of this, with movies, comics and books exploring themes of spying, the conflict between East and West, and what life would be like after nuclear war. We asked some members of staff what their favourite pop culture from the cold war was.

Jake: "I love 'Dr Strangelove, or how.I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb.' My favourite fact about it is that Kubrick built the B-25 bomber interior from a single photo, and a lot of geometry, and it was absolutely correct"
Helen: "A lot of my favourite TV shows and films explore a post Cold War world, but I adore the original Star Trek. I love how real world tensions translate into the conflict between Klingons and the Federation in the show, and how more insidious fears, like horror of computers are presented."
Sean: "I'm a big fan of Godzilla, and I think it's such an interesting exploration of military helplessness. I realised how linked it was to the cold war when I read 'Godzilla on my Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters' by William Tsutsui.

What's your favourite part of cold war pop culture? 📺

Did you know that we keep the bunker at a consistent temperature? This is part of our attempt to conserve the collection...
28/08/2026

Did you know that we keep the bunker at a consistent temperature?

This is part of our attempt to conserve the collection, but it's a huge struggle during heat waves! We have thermometers dotted around the bunker, which we regularly check, and the bunker stays between 17⁰C and 20⁰C year round. This is our (modern) air filtration and conditioning unit, which cools down the air supply, meaning no matter the temperature outside, it's perfect inside!

Did you know York Cold War Bunker was part of a network of around 1500 bunkers? These bunkers were all manned by members...
25/08/2026

Did you know York Cold War Bunker was part of a network of around 1500 bunkers?

These bunkers were all manned by members of the Royal Observer Corps, a volunteer organisation. York Cold War Bunker was called 20 Group Head Quarters. The number of Royal Observer Corps' bunkers in England fluctuated as the Cold War continued, with them dropping to around 800 by the mid 1970s.

Why is the bunker in York? There's two reasons. The first is the railways: they were a clear target for nuclear war and ...
20/08/2026

Why is the bunker in York?

There's two reasons. The first is the railways: they were a clear target for nuclear war and the bunker is around 2 miles away from the station. It was built to withstand a 2 megaton bomb dropped 8 miles away, and the belief was that the bomb would miss York station by around 6 miles.The other reason for the location is cost. The bunker was orginally in an orchard behind a group of government offices, so it was cheaper to build the bunker there!

Today is World Photography Day! 📸 Do you have any pictures of York Cold War Bunker, or your time in the ROC?
19/08/2026

Today is World Photography Day! 📸
Do you have any pictures of York Cold War Bunker, or your time in the ROC?

Today is the 81st anniversary of Victory over Japan, or VJ day. One member of staff at the bunker describes her grandmot...
15/08/2026

Today is the 81st anniversary of Victory over Japan, or VJ day.

One member of staff at the bunker describes her grandmother's memories of VJ Day: "she was a child living in occupied Hong Kong. The family didn't have a radio, but a Red Cross nurse living in the same building had a radio which was (illegally) connected to a western radio station. Each day, the nurse would leave her cape on the chair, and they agreed a code. If Japan surrendered, the cape would be turned inside out. My grandmother, great-aunt, and great-grandmother checked the cape every day. When the war ended, my family came to the United Kingdom. They were so emaciated they received double rations, and were endlessly grateful to the strangers who took them in and supported them.

My great grandmother is my greatest inspiration. Her daughter described her as a "proud and generous spirit", and during the war, she hid injured Canadian soldiers, opened her doors to all who lost their homes, and single-handedly protected her family. I'm named after her, and I hope to have even a quarter of her bravery."

Today we remember all those who died and suffered during the liberation of Asia.

On this day in 1961, the construction of the Berlin Wall began. The wall was a physical reminder of the "Iron Curtain" t...
13/08/2026

On this day in 1961, the construction of the Berlin Wall began. The wall was a physical reminder of the "Iron Curtain" that divided the east and west.

On this day in 1945, the USA dropped the nuclear weapon Fat Man on Nagasaki. This was the second use of a nuclear weapon...
09/08/2026

On this day in 1945, the USA dropped the nuclear weapon Fat Man on Nagasaki. This was the second use of a nuclear weapon during war in history, and since then no nuclear weapons have been used in war. The survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki vividly remember the destruction and death caused by the bomb. Many of those who are still alive continue to emphasise the danger and horror of nuclear weapons.

Radio was a key aspect of Cold War communications. York Cold War Bunker was one of the Royal Observer Corps bunkers whic...
08/08/2026

Radio was a key aspect of Cold War communications. York Cold War Bunker was one of the Royal Observer Corps bunkers which had a radio mast. During nuclear war, the radio mast would rise into the air once an hour for 5 minutes.

The main mean of communication between the posts was the TeleTalk, which connected to a landline private circuit. However, if the landline link to the group headquarters went down, master posts, which had a radio backup, would collect informations from their cluster's posts and then radio the information to the observers at the group headquarters (20 Group in the York area, otherwise known as the York Cold War Bunker!).

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Monument Close
York
YO244HT

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