Europe’s Strangest Theme Park
Wed, Nov 12, 2008
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All images: Azillphotos
When confronted with the issue of what to do with an ex-Soviet bunker in the countryside, an enterprising Lithuanian decided that some things should be left the way they are…
Welcome to 1984: Išgyvenimo Drama, otherwise known as Survival Drama in a Soviet Bunker.
Built near Vilnius in 1980, when Lithuania was still a part of the USSR, the bunker’s past life includes protecting a television transmitter and acting as a secure outpost for Soviet troops. Encompassing 4,000 cubic meters and buried 5 meters deep, the bunker is a remnant of Soviet occupation, which the Lithuanians have found more difficult to get rid of than the army.
Instead of letting the building fall into complete disrepair, some lucrative Lithuanians decided to put the bunker to some use, so, concerned about young Lithuanians lack of understanding about their country’s past, producer Ruta Vanagaite was prompted to create a re-enactment project, demonstrating the experiences of the previous generation.
Išgyvenimo drama opened in early 2008 to some controversy. Tourists pay 120 LTL ($US 220) each to step back into 1984 as a temporary USSR citizen for 2.5 hours. On entry, all belongings, including money, cameras and phones, are handed over and under the watchful eye of guards and alsatians, tourists change into threadbare Soviet coats and are herded through the bunker.
Experiences include watching TV programs from 1984, wearing gas masks, learning the Soviet anthem under duress, eating typical Soviet food (with genuine Soviet tableware) and even undergoing a concentration-camp-style interrogation and medical check.
The Soviet Bunker is not a theme park for the faint-hearted; all of the actors involved in the project were originally in the Soviet army and some were authentic interrogators, however there are performances tailored specifically for school groups so they know when to cool it, too.
Before heading back into the real world, participants are treated to a shot of vodka. They leave with a better understanding of life under Soviet occupation and, no doubt, a new respect for their elders past.
Source Soviet Bunker
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8 Trackbacks For This Post
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Nobody likes competition « The Landed Underclass Says:
November 14th, 2008 at 8:28 pm[...] November, 2008 by landedunderclass Peculiar theme park (via Boing [...]
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Back in the USSR at Interaction Design Umeå Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 11:50 am[...] More on EnvironmentalGraffiti [...]
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Bookmarks for November 13th through November 17th Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 3:11 pm[...] Europe’s Strangest Theme Park | Environmental Graffiti – [...]
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Disneyland - pak sammen! at Bertel Torp Says:
November 17th, 2008 at 9:54 pm[...] Læs mere om vidunderet her « MSN vs Skype vs ingenting.. [...]
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Come to the Soviet Union theme park! Says:
November 19th, 2008 at 4:25 pm[...] Environmental Graffiti via Boing Boing Share and Enjoy: [...]
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Trading my pink pants for a pink slip. « Capillaries Says:
November 27th, 2008 at 10:58 pm[...] the topic of the Soviet Union, there is a new theme park in Lithuania that gives you the experience of being (I think) arrested and detained by Soviet [...]
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Our women are strong like bull . . . « The Daily OY Says:
December 4th, 2008 at 6:24 am[...] money, cameras and phones, are handed over and under the watchful eye of guards and alsatians, tourists change into threadbare Soviet coats and are herded through the [...]
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mental_floss Blog » The Un-funnest Vacation in Europe Says:
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:56 pm[...] to Environmentalgraffiti, “tourists pay 120 LTL ($US 220) each to step back into 1984 as a temporary USSR citizen for [...]
November 13th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
God that would be awesome! To be honest I would probably shit my daks though…
November 13th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
A minor correction: 120 LTL is only about 44 USD. (I would wager you looked at Lithuania’s neighbor, Latvia (LVL), by mistake.)
November 14th, 2008 at 2:35 am
Thanks Cori – a bit of a typo there I think!
November 14th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I was about to say, 220USD for a trip like this is not worth it at all.
44USD on the other hand, too bad I won’t understand anything unless they have an English tour guide or English performers.
November 15th, 2008 at 12:51 am
I would hope the medical examinations don’t entail what “concentration-camp-style interrogation and medical check” makes pop up in my head.
other than that It sounds like a really cool attraction
November 15th, 2008 at 2:50 am
Nice write up, That is a good use for old bunker ^.^
November 15th, 2008 at 3:58 am
People will pay $220 to be searched, stripped of valuables, forced to stand in lines, and herded like cattle? Come to think of it, that sounds like what I go through every time I fly here in the US! The only difference is that the airlines would have charged you an extra $5 for the shot of vodka.
November 16th, 2008 at 7:05 am
Wei Wang – I can’t find definite confirmation, but I get the impression that there’s English interpreters. The official site is in English, and they’ve had quite a few American tourists come through.
November 17th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Yeah, Big Bad Russians occupied poor proud little Baltic state… Why no polar bears and balalayka at that stupid exposition?
November 17th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Great,
It’s very important idea; it will help to the new generation and to all Western Europeans to have a small feeling of what communist inquisition was.
I republish the article in Portuguese with link to your website:
http://ucrania-mozambique.blogspot.com/2008/11/viver-na-urss-durante-2h30-por-44.html
p.s. the soviet officer in the second photo (black gloves, camouflage), it’s look like Putin…
November 24th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Interesting theme park. Hope it does not cost more than the disney theme parks.