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The Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, New Mexico, is a fantastic place to learn about what goes on at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The lab was established in 1942 for the development of the world’s first atomic bomb. Today, it’s an important scientific research institution.

Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, New Mexico
Bradbury Science Museum

 

Visiting

Located near the Los Alamos historic district, the Bradbury Science Museum is open daily except Mondays and admission is free (as of August 2024).

Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, New Mexico
Bradbury Science Museum

 

Defense Gallery

The first section of the museum deals with the lab’s top priority, the defense of the United States. There are displays about plutonium, underground testing, and other themes on nuclear weapons.

Defense Gallery at the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, New Mexico
Defense Gallery
Defense Gallery
Defense Gallery
Missile in the Defense Gallery at the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, New Mexico
Missile

Replicas of Fat Man and Little Boy, the world’s first nuclear bombs, can be seen. There are also public forums for and against nuclear weapons as well as calculators used on the Manhattan Project.

Replica of Fat Man at the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, New Mexico
Replica of Fat Man
Manhattan Project calculators at the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, New Mexico
Manhattan Project calculators
Public forum display
Public forum
Public forum display
Public forum

 

Research Gallery

The next section is the Research Gallery, which shows what the lab is doing to solve national problems such as energy, health, infrastructure, and the environment. Visitors can learn more with lots of entertaining hands-on activities.

Research Gallery at the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, New Mexico
Research Gallery
Research Gallery
Research Gallery
Radiation display in the Research Gallery
Radiation display

 

History Gallery

Finally, the History Gallery, gives a detailed history of the Manhattan Project by using timelines, photos, and artifacts.

History Gallery at the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, New Mexico
History Gallery

Some of the items on display are J. Robert Oppenheimer’s chair and leaflets in Japanese dropped on Hiroshima the day after it was bombed on August 6, 1945.

J. Robert Oppenheimer's chair at the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, New Mexico
J. Robert Oppenheimer’s chair
Leaflet dropped in Japan after the bombing of Hiroshima at the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, New Mexico
Leaflet dropped in Japan after the bombing of Hiroshima

 

Conclusion

The Bradbury Science Museum was one of the best museums we visited on our road trip throughout the Southwest, and I highly recommend visiting if in the area.

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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