Just outside Ottawa sits a modest building that hides one of Canada’s most fascinating secrets: a four-story underground Cold War–era bunker, built to house government officials in the event of a nuclear attack.

The site was nicknamed the Diefenbunker after Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, who commissioned it in the 1950s. Now a museum, visitors can explore decontamination chambers, the Prime Minister’s office, and a vault meant to protect the Bank of Canada’s gold reserves.

Liked this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

Inside the Diefenbunker: the secret Cold War bunker built to protect Canada’s elite

Canada's star attractions and their lesser-known stories