The Nevada Museum Where Visitors Experience a Simulated Atomic Blast Inside a Recreated Test Bunker

The National Atomic Testing Museum, Nevada

Before Vegas hit the jackpot with casinos, it banked on bombs. The National Atomic Testing Museum preserves the strange era when atomic testing was just another Sin City tourist draw. Here, you’ll find everything from real ground zero equipment to atomic bomb merch.

The Nuclear Test Simulation

You’ll get a realistic sense of what people felt when watching tests at the Nevada Test Site. When you visit the Ground Zero Theater, your chair actually trembles while you watch real nuclear explosion footage. It feels like a shockwave is passing right under you as the 10-minute show plays.

The theater uses special effects like timed light flashes, sound, and air bursts that match perfectly with the explosion video. This whole experience comes with your regular ticket—no extra fee needed.

Real Nuclear Test Equipment Sits Right in Front of You

You can see the actual tools scientists used during nuclear tests from 1951 to 1992. The radiation badges on display changed color when workers got too much radiation exposure.

You’ll notice how Geiger counters evolved over the years as technology improved. There are even special cameras designed to capture explosions at incredibly fast speeds—up to 10,000 frames per second. These are just a few items from the museum’s huge collection of over 12,000 nuclear testing artifacts.

Portable Nuclear Weapons Fit in Surprising Places

The tactical nuclear weapons display shows just how small atomic devices could be. You’ll see the Davy Crockett XM-388 projectile that infantry soldiers could fire from a special gun, creating explosions equal to 10-20 tons of TNT.

Next to it sits the B54 ‘backpack nuke’ that weighed only 58 pounds—light enough for one special forces soldier to carry.

The AIR-2 Genie air-to-air rocket was designed to destroy groups of enemy bombers with a single nuclear blast. These represent some of the smallest nuclear weapons ever made during the Cold War.

Atomic Fever Swept Through 1950s Pop Culture

Nuclear testing didn’t just happen in the desert, it showed up in everyday life too. You’ll see Atomic Fireball candies from 1954 that used radiation imagery to sell spicy treats. Kids read ‘Atomic Superboy’ comics while parents bought ‘Radiation King’ TVs.

A Piece of the Berlin Wall Connects to Nuclear History

You can actually touch a real chunk of the Berlin Wall in this exhibit. The 3-by-4-foot piece still has original spray-painted graffiti from protesters on the German side.

Look closely and you’ll see concrete reinforcement bars where the wall was broken apart. Next to it, you’ll find translations of the German messages written during the tense Cold War years.

This piece arrived when the museum first opened on Flamingo Road in 2005, linking nuclear testing to the broader Cold War struggle.

Nuclear Testing Workers Share Their Stories

In the Innovators Gallery, you “meet” the people behind the atomic tests. Photos and life stories of over 200 scientists, engineers, and workers who ran the Nevada Test Site fill the walls.

You’ll see personal belongings from J. Robert Oppenheimer and other Manhattan Project scientists. Each photo includes details about the person’s job and how long they worked at the test site.

You can even hear Oppenheimer’s granddaughter Dorothy share family memories through the gallery’s audio recordings.

First-Hand Accounts Bring Testing History to Life

For a small fee, you can listen to people who witnessed nuclear testing tell their own stories.

When you scan any of the 20 recording stations throughout the museum, you’ll hear voices like Major General Harencak explaining security at the Nevada National Security Sites.

Technical experts describe how they used various instruments during actual nuclear detonations. This audio option lets you hear directly from community members, museum guides, and important figures in today’s nuclear industry.

Native American Connections to Testing Grounds

Items from Shoshone and Southern Paiute tribes whose lands surrounded the test site make up this important display.

You’ll see traditional tools and crafts collected near Frenchman Flat, where the first nuclear tests happened. Maps show you which tribal territories felt the effects of nearby testing activities.

Written accounts document how testing impacted indigenous communities living within 100 miles of blast sites. These artifacts help you understand the cultural history of the land before it became a testing ground.

Exclusive Test Site Films Show Actual Explosions

In the Silo Museum section, you’ll watch a 12-minute film with recently declassified footage you can’t see anywhere else. The video shows test explosions from cameras placed right near ground zero.

You can see aerial shots of mushroom clouds that were visible from Las Vegas, 65 miles away. The film covers the full history of testing, from early above-ground blasts to later underground tunnels.

All this footage comes from government archives and includes material from all 928 nuclear tests at the site.

Current Radiation Levels Show on Live Monitors

Outside the museum, a working weather station collects real-time data you can check yourself. Digital screens show current background radiation levels measured in microroentgens per hour.

The station includes weather instruments that track wind speed, temperature, and air conditions. You can compare today’s readings with measurements taken since the museum opened in 2005.

This working scientific tool shows how radiation monitoring continues long after testing ended.

America’s Most Powerful Nuclear Reactor Stands Before You

The massive Phoebus-2A nuclear reactor dominates its display space. This actual reactor from Project Rover generated 4,000 megawatts, enough to power 8.5 million toasters at once.

Standing 12 feet tall and weighing over 7,000 pounds, it was designed to send spacecraft to Mars. During its 1968 test, it reached temperatures of 4,500 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the most powerful nuclear reactor ever tested.

Visiting The National Atomic Testing Museum

Find the museum at 755 East Flamingo Road, just one block east of Paradise Road.

• Open every day 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (come before 4:00 PM)
• Discounts available for seniors, military, students, and children
• Free parking on-site
• Optional audio tour available
• Most people spend 1-2 hours here

Kids under 14 need an adult with them. The museum covers 8,000 square feet of exhibit space.