Atomic Museum

As you get to know the Silver State’s spectacular story, make sure Nevada’s atomic history is part of it. Just minutes from the world-famous Las Vegas Strip, there’s no better way to blast into the past than the Atomic Museum (officially the National Atomic Testing Museum).

As the United States’ main site for nuclear testing, the Nevada Test Site—now known as the Nevada National Security Sites—was monumentally important in understanding nuclear warfare. It continues to be vital to national security to this day. A free Nevada National Security Sites tour is available once a month, but dates fill up six months in advance and aren’t booked through the museum. The good news? The Atomic Museum is open seven days a week and full of all the only-found-here nuclear history you can imagine.

Get to Know This Museum of Nuclear Testing

Thoroughly documenting the history of nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site in the desert north of Las Vegas, the Atomic Museum outlines the fascinating story of America’s nuclear weapons program and the Cold War. Visitors touring the museum will take delight in never-before-seen, first-person narratives, impressive artifacts, theatrical devices, environmental recreations, and interactive exhibits.

The Atomic Museum is home to Atomic Odyssey, an immersive exhibit that offers an unforgettable journey into the fascinating world of the atom by combining an interactive series of STEM labs with the thrill of discovery. The multi-sensory Ground Zero Theater explains the history of atomic testing. You’ll see video footage of actual atomic bomb tests in other parts of the museum, too. Best yet? Experience a simulated atmospheric bomb blast!

The museum also brims with fascinating artifacts, from authentic nuclear devices, an assortment of Geiger counters, and a variety of test equipment to a range of objects discovered in and around the Nevada Test Site. Drill bits and other tools are found in the Underground Testing Gallery. The Atomic Museum also covers the Manhattan Project and has various artifacts from the project in its collection.

One of the most popular displays features atomic-related memorabilia and chronicles the enormous impact that the atomic age had on 1950s pop culture. The Innovators Gallery and its walls of photos pay tribute to the men and women who played a part in the history of atomic testing. Visitors to the museum will even find an I-beam from one of the World Trade Center towers and a portion of the Berlin Wall.

For an extra layer of history, add a $6 audio tour to your visit. Scan more than 20 markers throughout the Atomic Museum to activate recordings from community partners and prominent figures within today’s nuclear industry. Narrators include Dorothy Oppenheimer Vanderford—granddaughter of J. Robert Oppenheimer—as well as Major General Harencak, former head of the Nevada National Security Sites, museum docents, and more.