Cambridge’s Cold War Bunker: From Nuclear Stronghold to Cultural Repository

Beneath a quiet residential estate on Brooklands Avenue lies one of Cambridge’s most unexpected landmarks: a Cold War-era nuclear bunker, once designed to withstand the collapse of civilisation. Constructed in 1953 and expanded in the 1960s, the facility was part of the UK’s national defence infrastructure, intended to serve as a Regional Seat of Government in the event of nuclear attack. Today, however, this relic of global tension has found a new purpose: housing and preserving the University of Cambridge’s archaeological and anthropological collections.

Originally built to accommodate up to 450 civil servants, the bunker was fully self-sufficient, with its own power supply, water systems, and communications equipment. Staff inside would have continued essential government functions, from processing pensions to managing law enforcement, all from behind five feet of reinforced concrete. “It was essentially a miniature version of central government,” says Steve Matthews, the University’s facilities manager. Despite its operational readiness, the bunker was a bleak and comfortless place, designed purely for survival.

Following its decommissioning in the 1990s and a brief use during the First Gulf War, the bunker fell into disrepair until the University acquired the site in the 2000s. Several potential uses were considered, but ultimately, the structure was repurposed to support the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Since 2021, the 1960s extension has been transformed into a state-of-the-art storage and research facility as part of the Centre for Material Culture.

The adaptation has brought new life to the space, but not without its challenges. The bunker’s windowless, silent design can feel isolating to those who work within. “You get a real sense of detachment from the world outside,” explains assistant coordinator Katrina Dring. Yet its expansive layout and security features make it an ideal environment for preserving fragile and valuable artefacts from Roman mosaics and Amazonian textiles to a striking lion-shaped coffin from Ghana.

Mindful of the building’s history and the sensitivities surrounding cultural heritage, the collections team has focused on transparency and community engagement. Visitors from schools and cultural organisations are now welcomed into the facility, offering opportunities to interact with the objects in meaningful ways. “It’s no longer about locking things away,” says curator Lucie Carreau. “It’s about opening up conversations and making the collection accessible.”

What was once a structure built to endure catastrophe now safeguards cultural memory. In its new role, the Cambridge nuclear bunker embodies a remarkable transformation from a symbol of survival in conflict to a hub of knowledge, reflection, and connection.