Two steel blast doors from East Kilbride’s secret Cold War bunker will be unveiled for the first time in a new exhibition.

The show named Cold War Scotland opens to the public next week at the National Museum of Scotland from July 13 until January 26, 2025.

The exhibition looks into the lives of ordinary Scots on the frontline during the global conflict of the Cold War, a 40-year nuclear face-off between the US and the Soviet Union following the end of the Second World War.

The huge doors come from an Anti-Aircraft Operations Room (AAOR) in East Kilbride.

This was part of the network of underground bunkers established in the early 1950s to defend vulnerable targets against air attacks.

(Image: The huge doors come from an Anti-Aircraft Operations Room (AAOR) in East Kilbride)

(Image: National Museums Scotland)

When military strategies changed, these facilities were used for civil defence.

The bunker was repurposed as the Scottish Civil Defence Western Zone Control base in the 1960s, later becoming the Western Zone Regional Government Headquarters.

The exhibition will also present the visible and invisible imprints of the Cold War era.

It includes first-hand accounts highlighting the war's enduring impact on Scottish politics, culture, and memory.

A variety of objects depicting the unseen aftermath of radiation on Scotland’s landscape will also be on display.

The show will additionally put a spotlight on the physical remnants of the Cold War era including ruined bases, forgotten bunkers, and defunct nuclear power stations scattered across Scotland.

Admission is free.

Dr Meredith Greiling, principal curator of Technology at National Museums Scotland, said: "From nuclear submarines to lively peace protests and observation stations perpetually monitoring for devastating attack, the Cold War permeated every aspect of life in Scotland for decades.

"We are delighted to be able to display these blast doors for the first time and reveal this little-known aspect of East Kilbride’s past.

"We hope visitors to the exhibition are inspired to learn more about this fascinating period in Scottish history."