Time needed 60 to 90 minutes
Best time morning or late afternoon
Crowds peak 11:00 to 14:00
Toilets on site
Entry ticket at museum
Footwear closed shoes advised
Pronunciation: Tunel spasa [TOO-nel SPAH-sah] • Butmir [BOOT-meer]
Butmir, near Sarajevo Airport, at the private house that sheltered the southern tunnel entrance
Morning or late afternoon for a quieter film room and gallery; midday is busiest in high season
Small museum fee at the desk; audio guides available
Allow 60 to 90 minutes for the film, exhibits, and the preserved tunnel section
From the old town, tram to Ilidža, then taxi for around 10 minutes to the museum. A direct taxi from the centre takes about 20 to 25 minutes depending on traffic. Coaches and tours time slots to avoid the film-room peak.
The Sarajevo War Tunnel, often called the Tunnel of Hope, is a siege-era passage built beneath the airport runway in 1993 to link the city with free territory. The museum stands at the private house that concealed the southern entrance. Inside, a short film and a compact gallery show maps, everyday objects, and photographs that explain why the tunnel mattered for food, medicine, and movement during the longest city siege in modern Europe. A preserved section lets you step into a low, timbered corridor to understand how tight and difficult the passage was.
Plan a simple sequence. Watch the film first, walk the gallery, then enter the short tunnel section. Morning and late afternoon are calmer; the film room can be standing-room only at midday in summer. Surfaces are uneven and the tunnel roof is low, so closed shoes and a steady pace make the visit easier. Keep language and tone factual and respectful, and allow time for questions afterwards. If you want a wide view of the city the tunnel helped sustain, ride the Trebević cable car later that day and look back over the streets you have just seen in the film.
If the film room is full, start with the gallery panels and return for the next screening. Mid-screening is the quietest moment to see the preserved tunnel section.
Combine the museum with a short, quiet hour at Vrelo Bosne or an old-town coffee afterwards. It balances the day and gives space to think.
Now: Film room and gallery sequence for context Next: Trebević cable car for a city panorama linked to the story Nearby: Vrelo Bosne park paths in Ilidža for a calm loop
This is a museum set at a private house that sheltered the tunnel entrance. Expect a short film, a small gallery with maps and objects, and a preserved tunnel segment. The corridor is low, narrow, and uneven underfoot. Audio guides are available; guided visits add verified context and help with pacing when it is busy. Photography is usually allowed in the gallery; avoid flash where posted and be mindful of other visitors.
From the centre, a taxi is simplest. Trams run to Ilidža; from there, a short taxi ride reaches the museum. Slots are busiest from late morning to early afternoon. In peak weeks, tours time entries to avoid queues; morning or late afternoon is calmer. Winter hours are shorter; check the day’s schedule at the entrance.
Use plain, factual language. If you are visiting with children or teenagers, explain before you enter that this is a place to listen and learn. The museum presents sources and objects; it does not re-enact events. End the visit with a forward-looking moment elsewhere in the city to reset the day’s rhythm.
A short, focused film introduces the siege and the reasons for the tunnel. It is the best way to frame the objects and maps you will see next. Arrive a few minutes early if you want a seat.
Maps show the city lines and the route beneath the runway. Everyday objects, hand tools, and photographs place the tunnel in the context of food, medicine, and family life. Read the captions; they explain how parts of the city connected, and why each room in the house mattered.
A short timbered corridor gives a physical sense of the work. Ceiling and walls are close, the floor is uneven, and the air is cool. Move slowly, mind your head, and let children go first if they are nervous about the dark.
Outside, you can see the house and yard that concealed the entrance. The modest scale makes the story more tangible than a large monument might.
If you ride the Trebević cable car later, look back over the valley and place the route you saw on the map. City geography and the film narrations align from above.
Museum visit, verified context, and a focused loop linking older and modern sites; hotel pick up available
Bazaar lanes, Latin Bridge, and a timed tunnel visit; hotel pick up available
Tunnel of Hope, Trebević angles, and a short city set of stops; hotel pick up available
Yes for older children and teenagers. The preserved corridor is dark and narrow; prepare them for the space and move slowly.
Sixty to ninety minutes suits most visitors, including the film, gallery, and the tunnel section.
Photography is generally allowed in the gallery. Avoid flash where posted, and follow staff guidance in the film room and tunnel.
The film room and gallery are on more even ground. The preserved tunnel section has low ceilings and uneven floors, and is not wheelchair accessible.
A Trebević cable car view, a calm hour in Vrelo Bosne, or coffee in Baščaršija to balance the day.
