Bunk’Art 1 – An underground journey into 20th century Albanian history

The 2025 tourist season has begun, and one of the most impressive stops for visitors in Tirana is BUNK’ART 1 – a museum located inside a massive five-story underground bunker, originally built during the Cold War as a shelter for Albania’s political and military elite.

Today, this bunker has been transformed into an extraordinary historical and artistic museum, where the past is not only seen, but felt. Its exhibitions are authentically integrated with the original structure of the bunker, offering a deep and immersive experience.

 

What will you experience at BUNK’ART 1?

Visitors walk through the bunker’s rooms following the historical timeline of Albania, from the fascist and Nazi occupation to the construction of an authoritarian state and the decades of total isolation during the dictatorship.

The museum brings to light original documents and preserved spaces such as operational halls, command rooms, offices, and wartime artifacts. Exhibits are enriched with videos, photos, uniforms, and military equipment that reveal the tightly controlled and tense everyday life of an entire population.

This is a narrative not only of military and political history, but also of the daily life of Albanian citizens under a closed regime.

 

Bunk’Art 1 is not just a museum of dates and facts – it is an emotional experience, one that provokes thought and invites reflection, a space where time seems to stand still.

A visit you won’t forget – because the past is the key to understanding the present.

Welcome to BUNK’ART 1, where history speaks from deep beneath the ground.