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The town of Los Alamos, New Mexico, is the birthplace of the atomic bomb and the home of a branch of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park.
Introduction to Los Alamos
Los Alamos was originally inhabited by Native Americans around the 10th century and was first settled by ranchers in the late 19th century. In 1917, Ashley Pond II, a businessman from Detroit, founded the Los Alamos Ranch School to teach young men basic ranching and survival skills.
Everything changed in 1943, when the United States Department of War exercised eminent domain over the entire area. The isolated location was perfect for the Manhattan Project, which was tasked with developing the first atomic bomb. The town of Los Alamos sprung up as a highly-guarded closed city accessible via two security checkpoints. It housed research laboratories as well as scientists and engineers from all over the world. Information about the project wasn’t released to the public until after the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.
After World War II, the Los Alamos National Laboratory was officially established as a government research facility under the US Atomic Energy Commission. The town’s security perimeter was reduced in 1957, opening it up to visits by the general public.
Today, Los Alamos is a thriving town in which the majority of residents are connected to the Los Alamos National Laboratory. You’ll find plenty of restaurants, some accommodation, and museums and historic sites part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. It also makes a great day trip from Santa Fe or a great base for Bandelier National Monument and the surrounding area.
Getting Around Los Alamos
It’s very easy to get around the small downtown on foot. We parked the car and walked to all points of interest in town and restaurants.
Where to Eat in Los Alamos
We had two meals during our visit to the town.
Pyramid Cafe
For our first dinner, we ate at Pyramid Cafe, which serves North African, Greek, and Mediterranean cuisine. I had a very good lentil soup and Greek salad to start, and a tagine for the main course. Prices were good, the meal was delicious, and service was friendly. They also have a branch in Santa Fe.
Thailand (Permanently Closed)
For our second dinner, we ate at Thailand. They had decent Thai food. I tried the phad thai and was very satisfied, but their idea of spicy was more bland than anything.
Manhattan Project National Historical Park
Technically I didn’t visit the Manhattan Project National Historical Park is the main attraction in Los Alamos. This unit is one of three 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). The park wasn’t officially established until two weeks after my visit.
Below I’ve written about some of the places on the park campus while taking 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 points of interest. Not all of the sites now listed with the national historical park were on the map at the time.
Visitor Center
The visitor center is typically open daily from May to mid-October, and Friday to Monday the rest of the year. When I arrived in Los Alamos, staff was in the process of transitioning into the national historical park and the visitor center wasn’t ready.
Los Alamos History Museum
The Los Alamos History Museum started out as the guest cottage 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.
The museum is open daily except Sundays. Prices are current as of October 2025:
- General admission is US$5.
- Guided walking tours of the historic district are US$25 for adults and free for visitor under 19 with a ticketed adult. They last between 90 minutes and 2 hours. Tickets include admission to the museum.
Fuller Lodge
Next door is 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 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, as well as a plaque commemorating the Los Alamos Ranch School.
Oppenheimer-Groves Sculpture
In front of the lodge is the Oppenheimer-Groves Sculpture. The figure on the left is J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967), the scientific leader of the Manhattan Project. On the right is General Leslie Groves (1896-1970), who was the project’s military leader.
Romero Cabin
North of the lodge are two historic sites on park property but not associated with the Manhattan Project. The Romero Cabin was built by homesteader Victor Romero in 1913. He lived in the one-room cabin with his wife and six children. Romero’s land, including the cabin, was acquired by the federal government in 1943. The cabin was moved to its current location in 1985 and 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
Bathtub Row is a street containing four homes built for the Ranch School. They were later used by scientists on the Manhattan Project. The street got its name because the homes were the only ones in Los Alamos with bathtubs during World War II.
Oppenheimer House
The Oppenheimer House was at the north end of the street. It was built in 1929 for May Connell, the art and music teacher at the Los Alamos Ranch School. Oppenheimer chose it as his residence because of the large windows and stone walls, and fireplace. It’s currently under restoration and is expected to open to the public in the future (as of October 2025).
Hans Bethe House
Next door is the home of physicist Hans Bethe (1906-2005), which was also used by chemist Edward McMillan (1907-1991). It’s now part of the Los Alamos History Museum and hosts the Harold Agnew Cold War Gallery. It also features a recreated living room and kitchen from the 1950s.
Other Sites
The majority of the sites are located at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and closed to the public, but it’s possible to visit on a guided tour three times a year. A few others associated with the Manhattan Project are listed on a short walking tour published by the national historical park.
Bradbury Science Museum
The fantastic Bradbury Science Museum, which is owned by the Los Alamos National Laboratory, is a great place to learn about what goes on at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and what happened during Project Y. It’s one of the best museums we visited on our road trip throughout the Southwest, and I highly recommend visiting if passing through the area.
The museum features excellent hands-on exhibits for both adults and kids. The museum is open daily except Mondays and admission is free (as of October 2025).
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 calculators used on the Manhattan Project as well as public forums for and against nuclear weapons.
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.
