Exhibits
Main Gallery
Highlights
Atomic Odyssey
Step into the world of atoms, reactions, and radiation in Atomic Odyssey—the Atomic Museum’s first fully hands-on exhibit. Opened in January 2025 after years of planning, this immersive experience invites guests of all ages to explore atomic science through interactive STEM labs that combine science, art, and innovation.
Highlights include building elements in the Atomic Structure Lab, triggering fission and fusion in the Nuclear Reactions Lab, and discovering how radiation impacts our world in the Radiation Lab. The exhibit also features striking lenticular art by James Stanford, offering a creative perspective on the Atomic Age.
Pop Culture
Enjoy our wide variety of pop culture artifacts that showcase the early popularity of the atomic bomb and its impact on everything from television shows to comic books and toys.
Davy Crockett
See lesser-known nuclear weapons that the U.S. developed, such as the Davy Crockett XM-388 projectile, the B54 backpack bomb, and the AIR-2 Genie air-to-air rocket.
Diagnostic Rack
Gaze up at the towering model of a diagnostic rack in our underground testing gallery. These racks would have held nuclear weapons and other equipment in place in massive holes as deep as 2000 feet.
Phoebus-2A
Marvel at a real Phoebus-2A nuclear reactor that was built as part of Project Rover. Phoebus-2A was the most powerful nuclear propulsion reactor designed for the project. Scientists at the time thought that this prototype could be modified to send astronauts to Mars.
Atomic Museum
Rotating Exhibits
“Manhattan Project Challenges and Consequences”
– Get up close to the only exact replica of the world’s first atomic bomb and learn about the top-secret project that made it possible.
“The Bomb Without the Boom”
– This Atomic Museum exhibit focuses on how the United States keeps our stockpile of nuclear weapons safe and reliable.
Atomic Museum
Past Exhibits
“Beyond the Manhattan Project”
– Discover how the Department of Energy’s Environmental Management team cleans various sites impacted by decades of nuclear weapons production and nuclear energy research.
SPY
Previously on display at the Atomic Museum, SPY was a boutique exhibit presented in partnership with the National Security Agency’s (NSA) National Cryptologic Museum in Fort Meade, Maryland. The exhibit highlighted how the NSA’s collection of telemetry intelligence—data gathered on the internal functioning of missiles and space vehicles tested by foreign governments—enabled the United States to stay at the forefront of rapidly evolving technology.
Among the featured artifacts were items related to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I), the 1991 agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union aimed at reducing and limiting strategic offensive arms.
“Equipping Our Everyday Heroes”
– Explore the lifesaving equipment that the Department of Homeland Security develops for our nation’s first responders.