cold war museum

It was quite a long trip out from Klaipeda, and partly on a dirt track, but worth visiting to see where the nuclear missiles were all ready to go from, not so long ago. The guide spoke a number of languages, including some English. We were also given audio guides (and the Yorkshire English accent amused us!). There is a picnic spot just outside the gates and from behind it you can then take off for an hour long circular walk in the National Park forest, past a natural spring and a lake. There are information boards along the route, showing which animals you can see in different seasons. The visitor centre entrance has vending machines for coffee and chocolate, which came in handy after our walk.

I`m now 55 - just to say I spent my adolescence hearing every day on the news that a nuclear catastrophe could happen at any moment, and the world as we know it would vanish...So, after seeing the KGB Museum in Vilnius, getting a feeling for the USSR empire, it was fantastic seeing this 4 nuclear missile launch site that could've effaced most of Europe! It is situated in the middle of the most beautiful Zemaitijos National Park, and had been hidden for years from the Lithuanian population. You get to in the launch concreted underground bunker and walk through it's various chambers, and at the end, glimpse into the empty vault where the missile used to be. Creepy. The guide only spook Lithuanian, but they give you an audio guide to follow the tour. The tour lasts a little under 1 hour. The setback: the guide is too fast, so there is very little time to read the material in each room, much less listen to the audio guide. I ended taking photos of text with my mobile, and listening to the audio guide after the visit, in the reception. If you love history, this is A MUST SEE.

You’ll find this former Soviet Nuclear Missile Base (1963 – 1978) in the middle of the Žemaitijos National Park north of the small town Plungė faraway off the beaten tracks. Take the road 164 to the north from Plungė and after approximately 6 km you turn left into the National Park at the sign “Šaltojo Karo Muziejus”. Drive for another 6 km on the narrow asphalted road and turn then right at the next sign. Then is waiting a 5 km long graveled road that is more like a lot of bumps than a road and then you arrive at the Museum, so take it easy and be patient, because it is worth the strain. You can easily find the place on Google Maps Satellite mode with its characteristic four missile silos in a square formation in the middle of the park east of the big lake. It is not in the center of Plungė as the TA-map shows.The exhibition is very instructive and the staff and the guides are helpful and very skillful and our guide was also good in English and most of the exhibition has also signs in English. They also have some handheld English audio guides. This is a very interesting travel through a dark part of our history. As teenager from Sweden during the early Cold War, I can still feel a cold shiver running down my back when I see this exhibition. I think that we had a very good reason to be afraid. This bunker with its 4 missile silos loaded with one SS-4 ballistic missile with a 2 Megaton nuclear warhead each was able to blow almost the whole Europe to hell in less than one hour. It was 24 hours red alert here during this terrible days. When you visiting the top of the silo you can see a lot of numbers around the top, every number representing a big city in Europe, e.g. 320 was Madrid, if I remember right. Many things have been stolen by souvenir hunters and copper thieves since the Red Army left, e.g. the several ton heavy main generator is gone and the distribution plants and signal boxes are just empty shells. I think that this museum is very important for the remembrance of those terrible days, especially for our young generation, so that this never will be forgotten and I can warmly recommend a visit.

As this museum is indeed a little out of the way, my brother and I were fortunate that our cousins took the time to bring us to this excellent museum on a day long road trip from Klaipeda. We arrived just in time to join a departing tour group, and our young guide, who spoke very good English, gave the tour in both Lithuanian and English. The displays are interesting, informative, and occasionally eerie, with the highlight being the chance to enter one of the four missile silos. It is unfortunate that much of the original equipment was 'scavenged', but it is still a very unique museum and well worth the visit if you want to understand this aspect of Lithuanian (and world) history.

You will have to drive a way from Vilnius about two hours. the road is unpaved. Once you are there they have old soviet coats and Guns you can model and pose for some fun photos. They had only three English audio hand held guides ( two head jacks per device) The tour does not take any sides it just tries to lay out a tom of info and you can see how this small country became in the middle of the cold war.

You can't get any closer to Cold War History than this. The Cold War Museum is actually an old Soviet Missile Base hidden deep in the forest. At one time there were 4 missiles aimed at the major cities of Europe. Also, during the Cuban Missile Crisis it was from this base that the missiles came from. The museum is a bit off the beaten path so it was a little hard to find, but thanks to the GPS we found it. We were the only 2 on the tour and they still went. We had an English speaking guide and after our tour there was a big English tour coming from a cruise ship. There are 4 missile silos, one of which you can look down into. It will give you goosebumps. You can see some of the rooms such as the communications room and there are artifacts and videos to see as well. The Cold War Museum was definitely worth the time and the money to see. Don't miss it.

This place is not an easy find. We took it in on our way from Vilnius to the ferry port at Klaipeda. The minus was that having read that there were hourly tours, you have to be part of one, the one we arrived in time for was arbitrarily cancelled. We were also told that there was no English translation, just notice boards. This proved to be untrue. Also travellers should be aware that no credit cards are accepted. However, the situation, hidden in deepest woodland, and the structures themselves, we're worth the minor inconveniences. The tour itself was interesting and pitched at about the right level. There are only three sites like this in the world we were told - I was glad to have seen it.

One of the most amazing museums in Lithuania and Europe! You can feel the Soviet spirit there ad understant the madness of the people. Impressive and involving exhibition. You can participate and be amazed.

Interesting place for young and foreigners (to see soviet times place). The place is far from big city, not very good place to see for foreighn tourists, especially those who like individual tourism

The layout and design really brings home the seriousness of the cold ware. It has good tour guides, easy access - once you know it exists! only about 25-39km out of Telsai. The surrounding scenary is absolutely lush and beautiful with many lakes.We stayed in Sinchronas Guesthouse in Telsai and took a taxi. The driver waited for us. We were rushed a bit due to prior commitments. It is on my bucket list to see again with much less angst

Having grown up in the US in the Cold War era and remembering the drills in school in case of nuclear attack, this experience hit home. We arrived at the museum at a slow time in between bus tours and were told to just go through the complex on our town, otherwise I believe its almost always guided. The site is 4 missile silos with one you can look down inside and a network of underground rooms, communications, missile storage, missile preps, crew rest, etc along with artifacts, photos, videos as you go. Its an experience, glad we went but as I mentioned very creepy at the same time when you realize its purpose and how you lived through those Cold War years. Great site, they did a great job making it tourist friendly. Definitely worth a side trip if you're in the area.

I have been there before and after, and although it was amazing before renovation, now it is even better. Experienced museum guides will help you to discover many secrets of Lithuania occupation by Soviet union times and things were REALLY in those times.It is just not simple without you personal transportation. Rent a car or bike, because without it is not simple to get there. Taxi... but it is pretty expensive.

Музей по тематике СССР - США. Очень интересные карты, записи, да и вся обстановка позволяет окунуться в то время на пару часов. Мне понравился музей и его оригинальность!

Poder entrar en un silo nuclear de largo alcance de la guerra fría es una experiencia. Las rutas guiadas sin en lituano u en ingles con un audio guía. Faltan más idiomas. De resto le falta un poco de gusto para meter al visitante en materia, aún así merece la pena.

Ho avuto fortuna, normalmente in inverno il museo e chiuso ma, a causa del tempo mite, nel gennaio del 2014 son riuscito a vederlo. Impressionante, si respira l´aria che c´era quando la famosa cortina di ferro divideva l´Europa, la prospettiva e´ quella di chi stava dalla parte del patto di Varsavia. Amici lituani mi traducevano quanto detto dalla guida (bravissima), non so se vi fossero anche addetti in grado di parlare altre lingue o se vi fossero cuffie con la traduzione.Peccato solo che dopo sia stata abbandonata dai sovietici la base sia stata gravemente danneggiata e depredata dagli sciacalli, ma ora comunque quel poco che e´ rimasto e´ in buone condizioni.