Find out how Nevada performed a significant function in atomic bombs on the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas. Vegas even had Dawn Bomb Parties to view detonations!
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Last Updated: July 7, 2022
About the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas
The National Atomic Testing Museum is an affiliate associate of the Smithsonian Institution. The museum is exclusive as a result of it’s one in every of solely 27 nationwide museums within the nation and the one museum in Nevada that may be a Congressionally mandated nationwide museum.
In the 8,000-square-foot museum, you’ll discover one-of-a-kind displays and the rarest artifacts referring to the US atomic testing program. This contains over 16,000 official authorities and unofficial private images, and greater than 3,500 artifacts.
Highlights are one of many authentic bombshells constructed for the Trinity gadget, one of many largest collections of survey meters overlaying 65 years, and a chunk of the Berlin Wall. They even have the Ground Zero Theater, the place you may expertise a simulation of an above-ground take a look at. It’s fairly immersive and scary!
See More: Your Complete Guide to Museums in Las Vegas
Tickets & Directions to the National Atomic Testing Museum
The National Atomic Testing Museum’s hours are Thursday to Tuesday 9:30 am – 3:00 pm (for those who enter earlier than 3, you may keep till 4:30 PM).
Tickets costs
- General Adult Admission: $24
- Youth (7-14) Admission: $18
- Children Under 6: Free
- Seniors (62+): $20
- Students: $20
- Nevada Residents: $20
- Active Military: $18
Note: Get discounted tickets on Groupon right here.
National Atomic Testing Museum Address: 755 E Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89119 (map)
Thankfully, they’ve their very own car parking zone making it simple if you arrive.
Making the Most of Your Visit on the National Atomic Testing Museum
The museum has a pure movement that’s simple to comply with. When you enter the constructing, the ticket counter is to your proper. After getting your ticket, take a look at the Harry Reid Exhibit Hall to the left of the ticket counter. It’s a very good place to begin and the place the Trinity gadget reproduction is. During our go to, the unique bombshell was within the foyer, so you’ll want to test that out too!
Note: The movies they play within the Harry Reid Exhibit Hall are additionally out there on YouTube (Ground Zero Theater simulation just isn’t, so it’s a should throughout your go to!). You can get a hyperlink on the ticket counter.
Once you might be accomplished, begin the remainder of the museum to the precise of the ticket counter. From right here, you may’t get misplaced. Take the time you want to take a look at the remainder of the museum, which ends at their reward store.
TIPS FOR YOUR VISIT
- On common, it takes 1-2 hours to get by way of the museum. We spent about 1.5 hours there.
- Don’t miss the Ground Zero Theater expertise, which is correct earlier than you enter a tunnel.
- Make a reservation/purchase tickets on-line, particularly for those who plan on visiting in the course of the holidays or weekends.
- Bring a lightweight layer. Don’t overlook that when it’s scorching scorching outdoors, most indoor sights preserve it cool in Vegas. Esther wore a brief gown and will have used a lightweight layer.
- We beloved seeing the atomic-related memorabilia that confirmed how Fifties popular culture was impacted by the atomic age.
- The piece of the Berlin Wall is tucked in a nook close to the tip of the museum.
- Get discounted tickets on Groupon right here.
FAQs
What are the museum’s hours of operation?
The National Atomic Testing Museum is open Thursday by way of Tuesday from 9:30 AM to three PM. If you enter earlier than the doorways shut, you may keep till 4:30 PM.
How a lot is the Atomic Testing Museum?
General admission for adults is $24, youngsters from 7-14 are $18, and children beneath 6 are free. Discounted tickets for seniors 62+, college students, and Nevada residents are $20, and lively navy personnel is $18.
Can you go to a nuclear take a look at web site?
The Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) is a restricted-access authorities facility. Visitors should apply properly prematurely to attend a tour. You can discover extra particulars right here. The excursions are at present closed because of the pandemic.
Do I want a reservation to go to the museum?
No, though they advocate getting tickets on-line for weekends and holidays.
When is the museum closed?
The museum is closed on Wednesdays. They additionally shut on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Is Las Vegas radioactive?
No, however the Nevada Test Site continues to be contaminated with roughly 11,100 PBq of radioactive materials within the soil and 4,440 PBq in groundwater.
When did nuclear testing cease?
The United States’ final nuclear take a look at was on September 23, 1992.
Can I go to Mercury Nevada?
Unfortunately, Mercury is a closed village since it’s situated inside the Nevada National Security Site.
Who invented the nuclear bomb first?
J. Robert Oppenheimer is called the father of the atomic bomb. He was an American theoretical physicist who was the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory in the course of the Manhattan Project.
How many instances has Nevada been nuked?
There have been 1,021 nuclear detonations on the NNSS. 921 have been underground assessments.
Have you been to the National Atomic Testing Museum? What type of museums do you want to go to?
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“Discovery consists not of seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes” – M. Proust