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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.
Visiting
Located near the Los Alamos historic district, the Bradbury Science Museum is open daily except Mondays and admission is free (as of August 2023).
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.
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.
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.
History Gallery
Finally, the History Gallery, gives a detailed history of the Manhattan Project by using timelines, photos, and artifacts.
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.
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.
