Nottingham War Rooms: inside the secret Cold War bunker

Never-before-seen images will unlock the doors to Nottingham's hidden Cold War bunker, revealing its eerie underground interiors before redevelopment transforms the historic site.

Images revealing the hidden interiors of one of Nottingham's most secretive Cold War sites will go on public display for the first time.

The Nottingham War Rooms. The underground bunker was built in the early 1950s as part of Britain's Cold War civil defence network. | Martine Hamilton Knight

placeholder image — The Nottingham War Rooms. The underground bunker was built in the early 1950s as part of Britain's Cold War civil defence network. | Martine Hamilton Knight

The Nottingham War Rooms, tucked away in Beechdale, will take centre stage in a new exhibition at Nottingham Trent University, giving visitors a rare glimpse inside the historic underground complex. The War Rooms: A Past Unseen, A Future Revealed runs from November 4 to 13, bringing together striking photography and immersive digital experiences to capture the bunker before redevelopment changes its character. Presented by Martine Hamilton Knight and Dan Billings as part of NTU's D&DA Exhibitions programme, the show offers a chance to explore a building that remained largely hidden from public view for decades.

Built between 1952 and 1953 as part of Britain's Cold War civil defence network, the bunker was later expanded into one of just 11 Regional Seats of Government across the UK. Designed to accommodate hundreds of personnel, it would have served as the East Midlands' command centre in the event of nuclear conflict.

Now, visitors will be able to experience its remarkable interiors without stepping underground. Large-scale photographs by Hamilton Knight will appear across multiple screens, while Billings' digital recreation will let visitors explore the site using virtual reality headsets and an immersive viewing environment.

Inside Nottingham's hidden Cold War War Rooms, which are set to be explored in a new exhibition. | Martine Hamilton Knight

Hamilton Knight, formerly of NTU's Nottingham School of Art & Design, said the exhibition would preserve an important visual record of the bunker at a turning point in its history. She described a disjointed and chaotic atmosphere inside, with disturbed fixtures and fittings, patchy lighting and spaces that could feel psychologically unsettling. The documentation captured the building as it stood before its next transformation, she added.

A series of public talks will run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, bringing together contributors to discuss the bunker’s history, the documentation project and its future. The exhibition will also spill out into the city, with images projected onto the Shakespeare Street-facing windows of NTU's Design & Digital Arts Building each evening.

The site is being reimagined by developer Langcroft for future community use. Plans involve specialist construction work to adapt the historic structure while retaining its distinctive character. Sara Harraway, director and interior design lead at CPMG Architects, said the proposals aim to bring together living, working, wellbeing and leisure, with modern design inspired by the site's brutalist architecture.

Admission to the exhibition is free, with ticketed public entry available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the run.

More information and tickets are available through the Eventbrite listing.