The next Bunkerday will be on Saturday 25 May 2024 from 10am to 5pm.
Yes, to visit Bunkerdag you need a ticket. You can buy this at any bunker participating in Bunkerdag.
The ticket takes the form of a wristband. It allows you to visit all the locations. So you only need to buy a ticket once.
During Bunker day, relics such as bunkers and other elements of the Atlantic Wall along the coast of the Netherlands are put in the spotlight and opened to the public for one day. Sometimes the bunkers are still clearly visible and accessible, but sometimes they are overgrown with sand or located on private property. During Bunkerday, we make locations accessible and organise additional educational activities such as guided tours, film screenings and re-enactment.
Bunker day was born in 2014 out of a desire to broaden the scope of the (mostly local) initiatives and activities that exist around Atlantic Wall heritage and to encourage cooperation between these parties. And good luck with that! Bunker day now includes more than 25 organisations, 110 bunkers from the Wadden Islands to the border of Belgium and attracts more than 15,000 visitors annually.
The Stichting Europees Erfgoed Atlantikwall is initiator of the Bunkerdag. It is organised by Donkergroen creators
During the occupation, thousands of large and small bunkers were built at a rapid pace as part of the Atlantic Wall. After the war, these defences quickly fell into disuse, were demolished, shoved under the (dune) sand or otherwise left to their fate. Over time, nature took over “the management” of these bunkers.
Bats and bunkers
Bats in particular discovered the opportunities the bunkers offered to find a frost-free and safe winter home. Because the mostly concrete structures are mostly underground, they are very attractive as mating and wintering places for bats. Male and female bats therefore often ‘meet’ in the bunkers.
Bats are the only flying mammals. Thanks to their special way of life, they can get very old. Ages of more than 30 years are no exception. During the winter period, there is little food to be found for these insectivores. It is therefore vital that they can rely on undisturbed wintering sites. Well-managed bunkers can serve as a safe roost for years.
Of the 20 or so species, it is mainly the water bat, catbird bat, bearded bat and common big-eared bat that use bunkers and corridor systems. It is important for these species that the sites remain undisturbed from early August to mid-May (during the winter and mating periods).
A bunker must meet a number of conditions:
An even climate must prevail inside. That is, the bunker must be frost-free in winter.
It must be humid inside so that the bats do not dry out.
Any predators must not have access.
No disturbance by humans.
The conservation of culturally-historically valuable bunkers goes perfectly together with the preservation and expansion of hibernation sites for bats, amphibians and insects. Want to know more about bats? Then take a look at vleermuis.net and or zwgzh.nl.
Via the contact form below
Yes, to visit the participating venues you need a ticket. The ticket takes the form of a wristband. With one ticket you can then visit several locations on the day. A wristband is only valid when worn on the wrist.
You can only buy tickets on the day itself, 25 May 2024, at all participating venues. We unfortunately do not sell tickets in advance, should you wish to give them as a gift.
All participating venues sell tickets, but sometimes you may have to buy your ticket at a central location. For example:
– Schiermonnikoog > ticket sales at Bunkermuseum Schlei.
– Terschelling > ticket sales at G28 Visitor Centre Terschelling.
– Wijk aan zee > ticket sales at the Dorpsweide.
– Dishoek > ticket sales at the dune entrance.
Note: Bring both cash and a debit card as not every location has an ATM or change.
Adult (13+): €7.50
Children (4-12 years): €4
Children (0-3 years): Free
Veterans: Free on presentation of Veterans Pass
With a ticket, you can visit and enter all the sites. The money earned from ticket sales benefits the various bunker-managing organisations. This way, they can continue to maintain the bunkers so that they are preserved for future generations.
Yes, that’s how Bunker day works. Even if you only visit one venue, you need to buy a ticket. However, our entrance fee is equivalent to the entrance fee you often already pay for one location.
Yes, on presentation of your official veteran pass, you will get a free ticket for Bunker day.
No, you don’t need to register in advance. Except for a few locations that can really only be visited with a guided tour and where you can’t see anything outside the tour, unfortunately. Which locations those are we will announce here and in the text of the respective location.
From the beginning of April, all participating bunkers will be listed on the website. The great thing about Bunkerday is that you can go exploring by yourself. Use the location filter to choose an area and decide where you want to go.
Unfortunately, far from all bunkers are safe enough to view and sometimes the nature around them is too fragile to allow visitors. Every year we try to include new or different bunkers, so there is something new to see every year.
We recommend leaving the dog at home. Many bunkers are in protected nature reserves where a dog is not allowed. In addition, it is not always possible to take the dog into the bunker. Someone will therefore have to wait outside with the dog, preventing you from viewing the bunker together.
We are currently surveying all locations. As soon as we have an answer to this question we will mention it here.
Trek stevige schoenen aan waarmee je goed door los zand en modder kan lopen. In sommige bunkers kan een klein laagje water staan, het is dus handig als ze ook waterdicht zijn.
Met goede kleding bedoelen we in dit geval niet je zondagse outfit. Soms moet je een beetje klimmen en klauteren om een bunker in te komen. Loszittende kleding maakt dit een stuk makkelijker. Ook zijn veel van de bunkers al enige tijd niet meer afgestoft. Als je ergens tegenaan komt kun je dus wat viezigheid op je kleren krijgen.
Het is het tekenseizoen en we hopen natuurlijk op lekker weer. Maar pas op wanneer je op bunkertocht met je blote benen door het hoge gras, struikgewas en bossen loopt. Trek voor de zekerheid toch een lange broek aan en lange mouwen. Als je het echt goed wilt doen stop je je broek ook nog in je sokken.
In sommige bunkers is het licht sinds WO2 niet meer aangeweest. We doen ons best veel van de bunkers te verlichten, maar donkere hoekjes, gangen en kamers zullen er altijd blijven. Neem dus je zaklamp mee!
In bunkers zitten op onverwachte plekken oneffenheden, gaten of bijvoorbeeld kabelgoten. Kijk dus goed uit waar je loopt! En pas ook goed op voor uitstekende stukken beton of ijzer!
Bunkerdag is mogelijk dankzij vrijwilligers en medewerkers. Ze nemen je mee, delen informatie en zorgen ervoor dat jullie de beste editie ooit ervaren. Wees daarom extra lief voor deze toppers!
Blijft op de hoogte van de laatste ontwikkelingen van Bunkerdag!