Usually when people scream out “VEGAS!” the first thing that comes to our minds is an alcohol-induced party filled with gambling, mounds of food and zero sleep. In 1951, long before Criss Angel floated on top of the Luxor, or before menopause had its own musical, there was the nuclear testing facility 65 miles outside of Las Vegas. During the Cold War, Las Vegas was referred to as the “Atomic City.”

Atomic Cocktail Parties

In 1951, after the first nuclear bomb was detonated in Nevada, Las Vegas became obsessed with the nuclear bomb. The city quickly became the center of nuclear bombs and the “Atomic Cocktail Party” was born. Hotels would release viewing show times for bomb testing while tourists indulge in alcoholic drinks. The Atomic bomb influenced the growth of Sin City, even during the uneasy times of the Cold War.

Cold War In Vegas

“Las Vegas was built on the Atomic Bomb,” Aaron Warkentin told us. Warkentin is the Education Coordinator for the Atomic Testing Museum. Las Vegas was a small city when the first test site was built. Hotels would use the atomic bombs to lure guests. “Nobody at the time knew the health effects,” explained Aaron. “The idea of atom was very exciting in the 50s. People loved it for marketing. As the Cold War continued, people became very concerned and fearful, so you see an evolution from a kind of playful popular culture to a more serious idea.”

Enter The Atomic Testing Museum

The Atomic Museum opened in 2005 and is located only a few minutes off the Las Vegas strip. It holds some of the most recent declassified nuclear information available to citizens and tourists. The museum covers atomic development and testing all the way through the Reagan-era. Aaron added, “We try our best to be objective, but at the same time, we have to state ‘We were making bombs.’”

The museum features the “Ground Zero Theater,” an exhibit simulating an atomic bomb detonation with over-sized subwoofers and high-pressure air guns. The fun part is that the actual “theater” is inside a concrete bunker (one that was actually used at the nuclear testing site). The museum also features JCPenney mannequins used during actual atomic bomb testing. Back then JCPenney was a defense contractor, not just a clothing company.

“It’s difficult to decide which artifacts to exhibit, because when you have so many items, you have to start prioritizing. We have so much stuff that we could really build a museum two or three times this size and still have more stories to tell and more things to say,” Aaron described.

Aaron recommends you set aside about two hours to absorb all the information in the museum. For the general public that seeks further information after a visit to the museum, you can sign up for a tour of the actual atomic testing site (65 miles away from the museum location).

Instead of soaking in the pool with 200 other people or losing all your cash at the “Wheel of Fortune” slot machine because you’re too stubborn to walk away, check out the museum! The Atomic Museum provides a haven for those seeking an escape from the Strip, plus you’ll walk away with a plethora of knowledge. Now that’s winner!

Cost?
Adults ages 18-65: $12.00
Students, youth and seniors: $9.00

When?
Monday – Saturday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Where?
The Atomic Testing Museum
755 E. Flamingo Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89119

Additional Information
http://www.atomictestingmuseum.org/

No related posts.