During WWII, the US government launched a secret operation that ultimately helped the Allies win the war – though it did come at a tremendous cost. The Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, north of Albuquerque, accomplished a feat of science that led to the creation of the Atomic bomb, which was dropped on Japan in August 1945 killing an estimated 135,000 to 215,000 people.
Explore the history that led up to the bomb as well as a re-creation of the Los Alamos Laboratory at the superbly interactive National Museum of Nuclear Science & History (nuclearmuseum.org) southeast of the city, and one of the finest museums in the state – educating and warning of the power of nuclear in equal measure. The massive exhibition space is filled with tons of information, war memorabilia, antique missiles and military planes including a B29, the same model that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima. There's also an intriguing exhibit about nuclear power today, plus radioactivity, and popular culture relating to the nuclear movement – from a life-sized DeLorean from the Back to the Future trilogy (complete with light-up flux capacitor) and various toys from the atomic age, retro magazines, toys, TV references and more.
Kids will love playing with the interactive science experiments including static vs gravity, a pendulum snake to demonstrate physics, the Pinocchio machine to show how chair reactions work and a bike that you can ride to generate electricity. One area is dedicated entirely to throwing paper planes (which you create) into a solar system, to show how far apart planets are. Retired military personnel serve as docents. Set aside a few hours if you plan to read and see everything.
