Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker facts for kids
The Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker is a hidden underground building in Cheshire, England. It was once a top-secret government site. Today, it's a museum where you can learn about its past.
Contents
A Secret History
World War II Secrets
The area around Hack Green was first used by the military during World War II. A special "Starfish site" was built there. Its job was to trick German bombers, called the Luftwaffe, away from important railway lines in Crewe.
Later, a radar station was added. This station helped guide fighter planes to enemy aircraft.
Cold War Upgrades
In the 1950s, the site got a big upgrade as part of the ROTOR project. This project built strong, underground bunkers. Hack Green received one of these, called an R6 bunker.
The station was officially known as RAF Hack Green. It was also called Mersey Radar. It helped control military planes flying through regular airspace.
A Government Hideout
After being empty for a while, the site became a secret government headquarters. It was one of 17 such places across the UK. These bunkers were designed to help the government keep working if a major nuclear attack happened.
Around 1992, the Cold War ended. The government no longer needed these secret bunkers. Hack Green was bought by a private company. It opened to the public in 1998 as a museum.
What You Can See Today
The bunker is open to visitors for most of the year. It has a large collection of military items. You can also see things from the Cold War era. This includes one of the world's biggest collections of old nuclear weapons.
The museum also has special equipment. This equipment was used to warn about incoming missiles.
Inside the Bunker
You can learn about what the bunker's job was during the Cold War. There's even a simulator. It shows what it might have been like inside during a nuclear attack. Visitors can watch the BBC film The War Game. This film was made to show people what could happen in a nuclear attack.
Younger visitors can play a game. They search for "Cold War Spy Mice" hidden in the rooms. Finding them all can win a prize! This game helps make the visit fun. It also helps avoid some of the more serious parts of the bunker. For example, the medical room shows what injuries might look like.
On Television
Hack Green was shown in the TV series Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders. The band Everything Everything also filmed a music video there. It was for their 2009 song "MY KZ, UR BF".
See also
- Radar
- Linesman/Mediator
- Central Government War Headquarters
- Civil Contingencies Secretariat
- RAF Rudloe Manor
- Corsham Computer Centre
- Continuity of government
- Wartime Broadcasting Service
- Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker
- List of museums in Cheshire
