BunkArt 2, Tirana (must see)

BunkArt 2 is located in a large bunker in the center of Tirana near Skanderbeg Square. This bunker was intended for the Ministry of Internal Affairs during the communist regime. The museum exhibits life in the Albanian military and the work of the communist police. There is a strong focus on prisoners and work camps.

The bunker was constructed between 1981 and 1986. It consists of 24 rooms and one apartment to be used by the minister of the interior. It also has a large meeting hall that is now used to display exhibits. The bunker was code-named "Pillar Object" through the end of communist rule.

BunkArt 2 is just one of many bunkers built by Enver Hoxha. It is thought that he built more than 150,000 bunkers throughout the country. His fear of invasion from the United States and the Soviet Union caused him to have these bunkers built throughout his rule. It is thought that BunkArt 2 is the last of these.

Tourists are confronted by an audio recording when they enter BunkArt 2. This voiceover provides names of political prisoners who were victims of communist rule. The museum also has photographs and equipment that show the persecution of 100,000 Albanians under the communist regime.

BunkArt 2 offers three historical exhibits covering dates from 1913 to 1939, 1939 to 1944 and 1944 to 1991. There are also artistic installations throughout the bunker. Tourists will also see rooms dedicated to surveillance and investigation. Investigation could be conducted on anyone who was thought to be an enemy of the state; the type of room that was used for interrogation is part of the tour.