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Technically I didn’t visit the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Los Alamos, New Mexico. It wasn’t officially established until two weeks after I was in town.
The unit in Los Alamos is one of three units across the country associated with the Manhattan Project and the development of the atomic bomb. Los Alamos hosted Project Y. The others are in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (Site X), and Hanford, Washington (Site W).
Visitor Center
When I arrived in Los Alamos, I went to the town’s visitor center to learn more. It was closed but the bookstore was open. The staff member on duty told me they were in the process of transitioning into the national historical park and the building would serve as the new visitor center. The visitor center is typically open daily from May to mid-October, and Friday to Monday the rest of the year.
Los Alamos History Museum
There wasn’t much information but the staff member told me there was a self-guided walking tour that starts at the Los Alamos History Museum. I was able to find a map on the door pointing out a few places I could see in the Los Alamos Historic District. Not all of the sites now listed with the national historical park were on the map.
The museum is open daily except Sundays and charges US$5 for admission (as of October 2023). They also offer guided walking tours of the historic district daily except Sundays for US$25 per adult (as of October 2023). Unfortunately, the museum itself was closed for renovation when I walked by.
The museum started out as the infirmary for the Los Alamos Ranch School, a private school and summer camp for boys established in 1917. It was built in 1918 and later converted into a guest house for Ranch School visitors. The Ranch School and its land were acquired by the federal government in 1943 for the Manhattan Project.
Fuller Lodge
Next door is the Fuller Lodge, which served as the dining and meeting hall for Project Y staff. It was built in 1928 for the Ranch School, and hosted social activities for employees during the Manhattan Project.
I was able to go inside the Fuller Lodge and see the hall, some meeting rooms, and a replica bedroom. There was also a board set up in the lobby announcing the future Manhattan Project National Historical Park and what visitors will experience.
Oppenheimer-Groves Sculpture
In front of the lodge is the Oppenheimer-Groves Sculpture. The figure on the left is J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientific leader of the Manhattan Project. On the right is General Leslie Groves, who was the military leader of the project.
Romero Cabin
North of the lodge are two historic sites not associated with the Manhattan Project, but still interesting to see. The Romero Cabin was built by homesteader Victor Romero in 1913. The cabin and Romero’s land was acquired by the federal government in 1943, and it was restored in 2009.
Ancestral Pueblo Site
Next to the cabin are the ruins of an Ancestral Pueblo dwelling. The site was most likely occupied around 1225 by Tewa speaking people and housed two or three families.
Bathtub Row
Finally, I visited Bathtub Row. The four homes on Bathtub Row were built for the Ranch School and were later used by scientists on the Manhattan Project. The street got its name because it had the only homes in Los Alamos with bathtubs during World War II.
Oppenheimer’s house was at the north end of the street and is scheduled to open to the public in the near future (as of October 2023). Next door was physicist Hans Bethe’s house, which was also used by chemist Edward McMillan. It’s now part of the Los Alamos History Museum.
Bradbury Science Museum
After touring the historic district, I went to the fantastic Bradbury Science Museum, which is owned by the Los Alamos National Laboratory. It’s a great place to learn about what happened during Project Y and what goes on at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Other Sites
There are other sites associated with the Manhattan Project that I didn’t visit, but they’re listed on a short walking tour published by the national historical park. A few other sites are located at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and closed to the public.
