The National Museum of Atomic Testing chronicles the history of the Nevada Test Site in America’s nuclear weapons testing program. The museum is located in Las Vegas and the test site itself is 65 miles away. The actual test site is close of enough to Las Vegas that in 1950’s tourists could see bright flash from nuclear tests from Vegas hotels. Vegas actually marketed its proximity to nuclear testing as a tourist attraction. The museum does a great both documenting nuclear testing as well as probing the impact the Atomic Age had on American culture as a whole. The overall experience is pretty somber as it dawns the visitor that had these weapons been used, they could have easily wiped out the human race.

After visiting, I wanted to go visit the test site itself. Doing so requires an advanced reservation and tours are only happen monthly so I haven’t actually done it yet.

The other thing I’ll mention about the museum is the its well air-conditioned which makes a comfortable thing to do during the scorching daytime heat of the Vegas summer. I visited in June and few hours out of the sun was a welcome relief.