Tunnel of Hope Museum

During the siege of Sarajevo, the city's only route to the outside world was a tunnel dug by hand beneath the airport runway, linking the besieged district of Dobrinja to free territory at Butmir. Completed in 1993 and known as Tunnel D-B or the Tunnel of Hope, it carried food, medicine, weapons and people, and it kept the city alive when every road was under fire. Today a short section of it survives inside the Kolar family house at Donji Kotorac, where the entrance was hidden, and the house is now a museum. You walk through a stretch of the narrow tunnel with its timber supports, see the uniforms, tools and carts used to haul goods, and watch a short film about the siege before standing in a house that still carries the scars of the shelling. It is a quiet, sobering visit, and the museum sits on the edge of the city, so most people join a short guided tour with transport that adds context on the drive: Sniper Alley, the Presidency and Hotel Holiday. The tour we recommend runs about three hours, includes a licensed guide, transport and the film, and has well over a hundred reviews, with nearly all of them positive.

The tunnel itself was roughly 800 metres long, and the section you can enter is only a small fraction of it. Teams dug from both ends at once, working in shifts, and met in the middle with remarkable precision. Inside, the ceiling is low and the walls are supported by timber frames, so you walk bent over, and you can imagine carrying sacks of flour on your back or pushing a cart along the rails. Above the tunnel entrance, the Kolar house was a target throughout the war, and its facade still shows shell damage. The museum has been extended in recent years with additional content, and the memorial centre reported about 58,000 visitors in the first five months of 2026.

Understanding the context makes it more affecting. In 1992 Sarajevo was surrounded, and residents were cut off from supplies, water, electricity and gas for years. The siege lasted 1425 days, the longest of a capital city in modern history. The tunnel was the one place where civilians could cross to the free territory, and a guide helps you place it on the map, which is why many travellers prefer a tour to making their own way there.

Practical advice: wear sturdy shoes, since the floor can be uneven, and allow time to watch the film. The experience is emotional, so it may not suit very young children. The tour is not wheelchair accessible. The museum and tour operate year-round, but opening hours and prices can change, so confirm when you book. Pair it with the old town walk or the siege history tour for a fuller picture of the city.