The Ultimate Guide to Bunk Art 1 & Bunk Art 2

One of the best things to do in Tirana, Albania is to visit the Bunk Art Museums, namely Bunk Art 1 and Bunk Art 2. They’re super unique museums, and if you’re planning a visit to Tirana, you should try to go to both of these museums, or if you’re short on time, fit at least one in!

I spent one month in Tirana, and I completely fell in love with the city. I’m not entirely sure why, but I arrived with no expectations and was completely blown away. It’s a city full of history, and full of fantastic museums.

I visited many museums in Tirana during my stay, including the fascinating BunkArt Museums. While I loved Bunk Art 2, I have to say that Bunk Art 1 was my favourite museum. But, both have their pros and cons. So, I wanted to do a little guide and explain what Bunk Art 1 and Bunk Art 2 are, and why you should visit them.

So let’s take a look at Bunk Art 1 and Bunk Art 2 and why they are one of the best things to do in Tirana.

The Bunk Art Museums

With a less than conventional name, you may be wondering what on earth Bunk Art 1 and Bunk Art 2 are! Fair question.

Well, they’re definitely not your typical museum, starting with the fact that both are housed in two huge underground bunkers. It’s a great starting point for a museum; It’s already interesting before you’ve even stepped foot inside!

If you’ve spent time in Albania already, you’ll have seen quite a few underground bunkers around the country. During the Cold War era, Albania’s communist leader, Enver Hoxha, had thousands of bunkers built across the country. In fact, it’s estimated that he had around 173,000 of them built in total.

The bunkers were intended to serve as a defence against potential invaders, but never ended up being used for this.

Fast-forward to today, the country has found another, more light-hearted use for them. Now, you’ll find museums, bars and restaurants in them! Out of the ones I have seen, Bunk Art 1 is the most impressive for me!

Let’s Start With Bunk Art 1

Located on the outskirts of Tirana, Bunk Art 1 takes you on a comprehensive journey through Albania’s history.

The museum offers a broader historical context than Bunk Art 2. It covers significant events starting from World War II and the development of Albania into a Communist State.

What You’ll See in Bunk Art 1

There are 106 rooms in Bunk Art 1 so there is plenty to see.

You’ll have the opportunity to explore propaganda materials and gain an understanding of the regime’s propaganda machine. You’ll walk through the offices of Enver Hoxha and Mehmet Shehu, his second-in-command.

A recreated communist-era apartment and groceries shop provides a fantastic sense of what daily life looked like during that period.

One of my favourite parts of the museum was the detail around the bunkerisation programme. The tunnels and bunkers were all dug by hand which was fascinating and saddening to learn about. It’s unsurprising that many Albanians lost their lives during the program and the museum seeks to commemorate their legacy.

There are also plenty of stories about Albania’s role and stance in WWII, which were very interesting to hear.

Location and How to Get There

Bunk Art 1 is located outside the city, but it’s super easy to get to. Either grab a taxi or catch the number 11 blue bus that goes to Porcelani. (Update: I think the bus now goes to Linze, but it’s still blue bus number 11).

The bus takes around 30 minutes. Simply ask the driver to give you a shout when you arrive at the Bunk Art stop. The bus will cost around 40LEK, and you will pay in cash on the bus.

On the way back, you’ll catch the same bus, but on the opposite side of the road. It’s very close to the museum, and it’s very straight forward, so you shouldn’t have any problems.

Ticket Prices & Useful Info

When you get off the bus, or out of your taxi, you’ll see the signs for Bunk Art. These will direct you to walk through a long dark tunnel before reaching the ticket kiosk.

The ticket price for Bunk Art 1 (as at Summer 2023) was 500 LEK, or 700 LEK for the audio tour. You absolutely must bring cash with you as card payment is not accepted.

Another top tip is to bring a light jacket with you (even in summer!) as it’s a little chilly inside.

It’s huge, and you could easily spend a few hours looking around and reading all the information.

Other Places to Visit Nearby

While you’re out of town, I recommend taking the Dajti Ekspress, the cable car, up the mountain for the best views of the city.

It’s right around the corner, so if this is on your list of things to do, it’s worth doing them in a day. You can even take this great 1-day tour which takes in both Mount Dajti and Bunk Art 1 in the same trip.

What About Bunk Art 2

Bunk Art 2 provides an immersive journey into Albania’s history during the communist era.

This underground museum is housed within a sprawling nuclear bunker. It’s not as big as Bunk Art 1 and offers a more focused exploration of a specific period in time.

If you’re interested in communist history and understanding what life was like for the Albanian people during this time, you’ll find this a very interesting experience.

What You’ll See at Bunk Art 2

As soon as you step inside Bunk Art 2, it’s completely dark with gloomy lighting, which is a great reflection of the information and topics that you’ll learn about in the museum.

My favourite thing about Bunk Art 2 is that it doesn’t shy away from presenting the darker aspects of Albania’s history, which many countries are guilty of doing (adopting an ‘if you don’t talk about it, it didn’t happen’ way of thinking). There’s a quote painted on the wall that says If you don’t remember the past, you are condemned to repeat it.

Bunk Art 2 provides an honest look at the communist regime and the repression that came with it.

It’s pretty graphic in places, and you’ll encounter sections that address the brutality (which includes torture tactics employed by the communist police) of the regime, which provides a sobering perspective on the challenges faced by normal Albanian people.

Obviously, the bunker itself is a significant part of the Bunk Art 2 experience. The underground corridors, rooms and tunnels offer an immersive environment that really adds to the atmosphere of the museum. There are still the showers where you would rinse off any nuclear matter had there ever been such an attack.

Location and How to Visit Bunk Art 2

Unlike Bunk Art 1, Bunk Art 2 is in the heart of Tirana’s City Centre, making it the more accessible of the two museums, particularly if you’re short on time. It’s very close to Skanderbeg Square, and you can find it here.

You’ll see the bunker popping out of the ground – this is the entrance!

Ticket Price and Useful Information

The price of the ticket is 500LEK for a ticket or 700 LEK for a ticket plus the audio tour (which is through an app you download on your phone). As is the case for Bunk Art 1, Bunk Art 2 also only takes cash.

Bunk Art 2 is not as big as Bunk Art 1, and due to its city centre location, it receives many more tourists than its sister, so it does get very busy.

The narrow corridors and small rooms can get quite crammed at the busiest times, which may negatively impact your experience (particularly because there is a lot of information on the walls in the corridors).

I would advise going first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening, and avoid weekends if possible. If you’re claustrophobic, I would avoid these times.

I’d allow 1-2 hours (depending on how much patience you have for crowds inside!) to read all the information and see the exhibits.

Things to Do Close to Bunk Art 2

Bunk Art 2 is right in the centre of the city. I recommend visiting Skanderbeg Square (the main square in the centre). There are often events going on, for example there was a beer festival when we visited, so go and check it out.

It’s also a nice place to have a cocktail and watch the world go by. I recommend going to the Opera Cafe on the steps by the Palace of Culture.

There are so many fantastic things to do in Tirana – check out my blog.

Want to know more about Albania? Check out my other blogs:

• The Best Hotels in Tirana
• The Best Restaurants in Tirana
• The Best Things to Do in Tirana
• My Favourite Tours in Albania
• My Ultimate Guide to Ksamil Beaches

Which is better: Bunk Art 1 or Bunk Art 2?

Now I’ve given you a flavour of each museum individually, I want to compare them. Of course, this is just my opinion but here are my honest thoughts to help you decide what to do:

Bunk Art 1 offers a broader historical context, whereas Bunk Art 2 focuses specifically on the communist era in Albania.

If you have time to do both, I’d advise you visit Bunk Art 1 first, then Bunk Art 2 as it’ll help you understand the more specific information at Bunk Art 2.

For example, I went to Bunk Art 2 first, and as soon as you arrive, it launches into a history of the Sigurimi, the secret police under the Communist regime, with very little context. This was a little confusing without any background knowledge on the area!

Other things to bear in mind

I didn’t buy the audio tour tickets BUT in hindsight, I think I would have.

The reason being that the museums clearly have not got a native English speaker to check the translation of the information displays. Much of it is quite difficult to understand, and while my brain had got used to the strange sentences and deciphering what word should have been used instead, the audio tour might have been a better option.

It may also have been quicker to get around, as there is A LOT of information to read. Again, I can’t vouch for the audio tour, but from the reviews, it looks like it might be good. Also, it’s just an extra €2, so it might be worth the punt.

On the topic of ticket prices, if you decide you’re going to visit both, save a bit of cash and buy the combo ticket!

Enjoy Learning About Albania’s History!

I hope this helps you decide whether to visit the Bunk Art museums, or if you’re short on time and can only fit one of these in, I hope this has helped you choose!

To summarise, my favourite out of the two BunkArt museums is Bunk Art 1 so if you only do 1, let it be that one.

My tips for Bunk Art 2 are that you should either visit Bunk Art 1 first or take a Communist Tour through the city to gain a bit of background information on that specific era, particularly if you have limited knowledge in that area (or zero, like me!).

I can recommend the free walking tour in the city (tips are highly encouraged). Otherwise, the first half of the museum might not make much sense for you. That said, it really is a must-visit, and it has the bonus of being right in the city centre.

I hope you enjoy learning all about Albania’s history at these museums. Let me know what you thought of them in the comments below!

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