Up to date information on the comings and goings in The Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum. Also a behind the scenes look at how the museum operates and how the museum team is working after our capacity expansion project to which grew our capacity from 60 to 420 in July 2010!
"HISTORY FOR BUSY PEOPLE" "History In An Hour" is a series of e-books to help the reader learn the basic facts of a given subject area with as little effort as possible. During the Second World War, for example, exactly what was Dunkirk about, or the Normandy Landings? During the Cold War, what happened during the Cuban Missile Crisis, why was there a wall in Berlin? It's all here in a straight narrative. No embedded links to divert your attention, nor a daunting book of 600 pages with a 35 page introduction. Just straight in, to the point, sixty minutes, done. Then, having absorbed the basics, you may feel inspired to explore further. Quick, easy-to-read and engaging history... ebooks to read in an hour. *The Cold War In An Hour* is the first title in the History In An Hour series to be turned into an iPhone app.
"I am excited to announce
that on June 28th, 2010, the Diefenbunker, Canada's Cold War Museum
opens its doors for self-guided
tours and an "interesting" dining experience! Having completed our $1.65
million fire retrofit, we can now bring almost 500 people into our
unique
historic site. Please join us on the 28th for the launch of our
multi-language audio/video tour, our visitor guide, our new
interactive website, Project Rustic:
Journey to the Diefenbunker, and the opening of the Federal Warning
Centre
and CanX, a canteen that serves the "best" in meal replacement kits! We
will
have 2 for 1 admission on that day as well as prizes and discounts for
our
museum store. This day represents the fulfillment of a dream for the
Diefenbunker not to mention a lot of hard work and support by many
people and
organizations."
Alexandra Badzak
Executive Director
Project Rustic: Journey to
the Diefenbunker
Investigate the global events that
helped shape our past with the Cold War Timeline, become a undercover
KGB spy
working in the bunker trying to communicate with the Kremlin, or spend
some
time on the outside helping retrieve the much needed radiation sniffer.
Whatever task you choose, remember, your country and fellow Canadians
are counting
on you to help make the right decision...
Project Rustic: Journey to
the Diefenbunker is an interactive website that encourages Canadians to
learn
about the Continuity of Government Program and the role of the Central
Emergency Government Headquarters in Canada during the height of the
Cold War. This project has a youth focus and uses humour and popular
culture
references to draw participants into a dark period in Canada's
history.
The Diefenbunker Museum wishes to thank the Government
of
Canada's Heritage Department through the Canadian Studies Program for
their
support of this project.
Audio/Video Tour
We are
excited to launch the new
Audio/Video tour of the Diefenbunker! The 31 track self-guided tour
leads visitors through the museum with the use of MP4 players and
corresponding directional signage and visitor guide. The audio/video
tour includes footage of the Bunker construction and operations shortly
after its completion in 1961. Approximately 1 hour in length, the
audio/video tour is included in the price of admission and will also be
available for download for use on visitors' personal media players and
smart phones. 25 MP4 players are also available at the museum admissions
in the former guard house to loan to self-guiding visitors.
Visitor Management System
Due
to an anticipated increase in our attendance, the
Diefenbunker has adopted a visitor management software and hardware
package
from Vantix into our operations. We are now able to integrate our box
office,
group reservations, room rentals, public programs, membership and store
sales
into one system both on site and on-line. The Diefenbunker staff can now
simultaneously process fees, track tour bookings, market programs and
products
and receive important statistical reports that provides us with valuable
information on our visitors' needs and wants. Not only will this visitor
management package increase our operational efficiency, it will also
connects
us to a local and global audience by providing store products and
tickets for
sale online.
The Diefenbunker Museum
wishes to thank the Government of Ontario's Ministry of Culture though
the
Museum and Technology fund for their support of this project.
The new ticket, pictured above, is also a nice souvenir featuring various 36 bunker images.
CanX
Get ready to experience the Bunker as never before. Military style meal
replacements are available for purchase and consumption in the
Diefenbunker cafeteria. Now visitors can experience how Bunker residents
would have eaten during the later stages of a 30 day lockdown.
Spaghetti, chili, vegetarian lasagna, various deserts, "Soldier Fuel"
and beverage service will begin in the cafeteria. Full "Meal
Replacement Kits" will also be available for purchase to bring home and eat in your own fall out shelter within the next 4 years.
A videographer named Craig Urquhart has been traveling across Canada and gathering footage for 2 separate projects - one for CBC and the other for Korean TV. Craig and his crew are came to Ottawa last week and they’re hoping to feature the Diefenbunker on their program. The purpose of the new online/television show is to rediscover Canada from a foreign and insider perspective, from the Atlantic to the Arctic to the Pacific. Canada is seen as a continent-sized country. The focus will be on very unusual destinations, remote areas, urban life and the people and culture. There will be lots of interviews and events. Outdoor and urban life will both be emphasized. The program will air online on the CBC website as well as on Korean television.
We were very happy to accommodate the road weary yet enthusiastic crew
and Les gave them an exclusive late night tour of the Bunker.
The new Diefenbunker YouTube channel made its debut today with its "Cold War Music & Music Videos" playlist. Over time we will be compilling playlists of videos uploaded to YouTube relating to: pop music, protest, propaganda, news footage, film trailers, original educational films and more.
Stumbling into The Postal Service's "We Will Become Slhouettes" video was the inspiration for the creation of the:
"Cold War Music & Music Videos" compilation which at the moment features a lopsided amount of electronic music produced in the 1980s. This is possibly due to the seemingly good fit of the era between new technologies in music and the technological advances in warfare which were threatening society. Those advances were too sophisticated to be fully understood by the general public (or at times, the musicians). However, there are also plenty of 1960s era protest songs yet to be mined from the youtube servers. When I get to that point I will divide the music into era specific groupings. Until then enjoy the danci-ness of the 80s outlook on Cold War!
"HISTORY FOR BUSY PEOPLE"
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