The museum's next Gallery focuses on Underground Testing. Bill told me that this was one of the first things to be placed in the museum, since due to its size, everything had to be built around it. We walked through a 10-foot diameter decoupler, a seismic effect absorber. With the signing of the 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty, nuclear testing moved underground.
Outside the theater, a re-creation of the rock outcropping known as News Nob frames the end of atmospheric testing. The rest of the presentation is an overview of the programs conducted at the Test Site, including interviews with scholars and people who worked there. As bright light fills the screen, a few seconds later a blast of air simulates the shock wave and the wooden benches rumble. Built like a concrete bunker, this presentation recreates the experience of watching a nuclear test from 7 miles away. One of the key attractions of the museum is called Ground Zero Theater. In fact, I was giving a technical talk on my work with the project, and was ending my presentation with a photo of casinos with a mushroom cloud in the distance. This being Las Vegas, the museum also chronicles how tourists sipped cocktails on casino rooftops, gazing at blast clouds on the horizon at the test site, 65 miles to the northwest. The origins of these items range from other museums to Nevada residents to eBay. Atomic-themed comic books, candy, survival kits and other memorabilia capitalizing on the culture's fascination are displayed. With the rise of the atomic age came the birth of atomic age pop culture. The story of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are told, but not in great detail. A copy of the letter from Albert Einstein to President Roosevelt is displayed, along with artifacts from the first nuclear test in the New Mexico desert. The Atomic Age Gallery covers the 1940s through the 1960s. A short video presentation, produced by Peter Kuran (of Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie), tells the beginnings of the atomic age, and the race to develop the atomic bomb. I commented to Bill that it was a nice choice since it was the same image I had used on our CD-ROM, Atomic Archive. It is clear that Bill understands the issues that surround running a museum on this topic.Īs we entered the museum, the first image that greeted us was of the Badger test. We discussed the impact the Enola Gay controversy has had on the topic of nuclear weapons in general.īill pointed out that the museum has hosted a variety of speakers during its short existence, including survivors from Nagasaki. We try to place the exhibits in context and let them speak for themselves." In fact, the museum had four historians provide additional context for each of the posters, to aid in their place in history. He replied, "That is a real challenge for us. As we strolled through the gallery, I asked Bill about the challenges in creating a museum on a topic as sensitive as nuclear weapons. A collection of " The Atoms for Peace" artwork, created by Erik Nitsche in the 1950s and 1960s, is currently being showcased (it runs through January 21st 2007). Bill first took me into the Harry Reid exhibit hall. Visitors are greeted with a replica of an NTS guard station as the museum's ticket office.
I met with Bill Johnson, the museum's current director, who gave me an insightful tour of the 8,000 square foot museum. The goal of the museum is to preserve and foster public accessibility to the history associated with the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and the Nation's nuclear weapons testing program. The museum, founded by the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation and located on the Desert Research Institute campus, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and is located just east of the Las Vegas strip. I had been trying to visit the museum since it had opened on February 20, 2005. This would be the perfect chance to finally visit the Atomic Testing Museum. In October, 2006 I was in Las Vegas for the annual Macromedia conference, strike that, Adobe (I am still trying to get used to the acquisition.) developer conference.