The award winning Gairloch Museum is located in a former nuclear bunker. It was built in the 1950s as an Anti-aircraft Operations Room (AAOR), part of the UK’s defence system preparing for the anticipated nuclear attack from Soviet Russia during the Cold War. The Gairloch AAOR was the supporting link for communications between HQ at Barnton Quarry near Edinburgh, which received information from radar stations, and the upgraded gun locations around Loch Ewe. Before it was ever used, nuclear warfare had developed to such an extent that the Gairloch AAOR became redundant for its intended purpose, and it was decommissioned. In the late 1950s, it was adapted to serve as the local Roads Depot. When international tensions escalated again in the early 1960s, part of the Roads Depot was re-designated as the local Civil Defence Area Control Centre, linked to Inverness. Following a nuclear attack, staff here would co-ordinate the distribution of food supplies, rescue casualties, etc. In the 1980s, as Cold War fears again revived, the AAOR was once again resurrected for Civil Defence, as a Regional Standby Emergency Centre. New blast doors were installed, which are still a feature of the building’s interior. Thank goodness its services in the aftermath of an atom bomb were never required!
The building has been loving redeveloped into a fabulous home for the museum, which is run by volunteers. The Gairloch Community raised £2.4 million to redevelop the bunker as a visitor attraction and heritage hub. West Highland College also have a home in the building. Star objects on display in the Museum include the massive Fresnel lens of nearby Rubh Re lighthouse and a bronze age hoard found in Poolewe in the late C19th. You can also visit a traditional croft house interior and village shop, and create your own earthquake. With a wealth of interactive exhibits and activities for families, the new museum is a great place to visit. There is also a fantastic gift shop and cafe. And, if your ancestors were local, you can also make an appointment to use the library and archive and delve into your family history.