The second annual National Cold War Heritage Week – led by The Cold War Network and supported by The National Lottery Community Fund – returns from 18 to 24 May 2026 with a nationwide celebration of one of the most fascinating chapters in modern history.

Across the week, sites and museums around the UK will open their doors for guided bunker and airbase tours, special exhibitions, film screenings, expert talks, and hands‑on displays.

Whether you’re curious about the hidden world of ROTOR radar stations, intrigued by regional government bunkers, or drawn to the drama of missile technology and Cold War aviation, there’s something for every age and level of interest.

National Cold War Heritage Week shines a spotlight on the remarkable variety of the UK’s Cold War story – from secrecy and civil defence to innovation, preparedness, and the everyday experiences of people who lived through it. It’s an opportunity to explore extraordinary places, meet passionate experts, and discover how the Cold War shaped the world we know today.

FIND A NATIONAL COLD WAR HERITAGE WEEK EVENT NEAR YOU:

2026 EVENTS (visual map):

2026 EVENTS (in alphabetical order – click the links to learn more):

Alconbury Weald Cambridgeshire PE28 4FR	Barnton Bunker Edinburgh EH4 7BN	Bervie Brow Aberdeen AB12 3NH
Fort Widley Portsmouth PO6 3LS	Hack Green Cheshire CW5 8BL	Harrington Aviation Museum Northampton NN6 9PF
Kelvedon Hatch Brentwood CM15	Landguard Fort Felixstowe IP11 3TW	Military Intelligence Museum Bedfordshire SG17 5PR
Needles New Battery Isle of Wight PO39 0JH	Nothe Fort Weymouth DT4 8UF	Orford Ness (IRGON) Suffolk IP12 2NU
RAF Radar Museum Norwich NR12 8YB	Royal Signals Museum Dorset DT11 8BJ	Scotland’s Secret Bunker St Andrews KY16 8QH
Upper Heyford Heritage Centre Bicester OX25 5BX	Yorkshire Air Museum York YO41 4AU	Want to participate? Email us to learn more: info@coldwarnetwork.co.uk

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MAJOR FUNDING NEWS:

The Cold War Network has been awarded £19,604 from the National Lottery Community Fund’s ‘Awards for All’ scheme to expand and strengthen its National Cold War Heritage Week initiative. Among other outputs, the funding award will enable the Network to co-create a Cold War Engagement Resource Pack – a flexible toolkit designed with member organisations to support community-led programming.

Read the full press release by clicking here.