On July 16, 1945, just before sunrise over two years of relentless work at secret installations across the United States came to fruition.
The sands of the Jornada del Muerto desert in New Mexico were scorched by the first successful atomic bomb test that shook up the world and plunged humanity into the Atomic Age.
Less than a month later on August 6, 1945, the atomic bomb “Little Man” was dropped from the B-29 bomber Enola Gay and detonated over Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later on August 9, 1945, Nagasaki, Japan was destroyed by the atomic bomb dubbed “Fat Boy.”
Six days after Nagasaki was annihilated Japan announced its surrender. The Second World War was finally over.
The world has never been the same, offering glimpses of both horrifying consequences of nuclear weapons and the uneasy geopolitical peace such weapons can bring.
What were the events that led to the rise of the Atomic Age and who were the key figures in history that make it a fascinating event to dive deeper into?
The National Atomic Testing Museum (NATM) is the national science, history and educational institution that tells the story of America’s nuclear weapons testing program at the Nevada Test Site.
Overview
Located just east of the world famous Las Vegas Strip the NATM is one of a handful of national private museums and “showcases some of the rarest artifacts relating to the nation’s atomic testing program.”
The museum itself consists of 70 exhibits laid out across 8,000 square feet of nuclear history and the role that Nevada played on the global stage. Visitors conduct self-guided tours through a web of history and events that led to the creation of not only the atomic bomb but the fallout of its use, and how it began to shape our modern lives.
The NATM is also one of a very select group of institutions in the United States that is a Smithsonian Affiliate, which helps facilitate the loaning of certain artifacts to the museum for the Las Vegas community to view.
The National Atomic Testing Museum is the only Congressionally mandated national museum in Nevada, and one of only 37 national museums in the nation created by congress and enacted by public law.
The National Atomic Testing Museum website
Who Would Enjoy This The Most?
Although the NATM deals with some heavier political and world issues, it can be enjoyed by the whole family with enough history and factoids to satisfy a more mature audience while balancing itself with enough interactive theaters and exhibits to keep younger children engaged.
A Fun Way To Spend An Afternoon
The National Atomic Testing Museum is an incredibly unique experience that residents and visitors of Las Vegas should enjoy at least once. Science lovers and history buffs will love this deep dive into the birth of the Atomic Age. The curious-minded and creative thinkers that you know will appreciate the intricate approach to detail that the exhibits display.
Like Hoover Dam or the Mob Museum, this is a phenomenal place and a jewel in Nevada’s historical crown.
