National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History (formerly the National Atomic Museum) is a Smithsonian Affiliate and is the nation's only congressionally chartered museum in its field. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History was established in 1969 as an intriguing place to learn the story of the Atomic Age, from early research of nuclear development through today's peaceful uses of nuclear technology. The museum strives to present, through permanent and changing exhibits and displays, the diverse applications of nuclear energy in the past, present and future along with the stories of the field's pioneers.

The Museum relocated to its current location at 601 Eubank Blvd SE [map] in April 2009. This 30,000-sq-ft building and 9-acre outdoor exhibit area display artifacts from Geiger counters, historic medical devices and items from the Manhattan Project to vintage comic books, nostalgic toys and a B-29 Superfortress. The major interior exhibits include Nano, Pioneers of the Atom, Trinity and its Legacy, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Cold War, Energy Encounter, Nuclear Medicine, Radiation 101 and more. The Museum also hosts Little Albert's Lab, an area where young, inquisitive minds can explore hands-on science activities. The popular outdoor exhibit area, known as Heritage Park, houses planes, rockets, missiles, cannons and a nuclear submarine sail, including a B-52B Stratofortress, an F-16 Fighting Falcon, a Titan II Missile and more.

The Museum's mission is "to serve as America's resource for nuclear history and science. The Museum presents exhibits and quality educational programs that convey the diversity of individuals and events that shape the historical and technical context of the nuclear age." It is truly a place to learn, to imagine, to think and to draw your own conclusions.

You can become part of this educational entity by joining the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History now [membership information]. Membership supports educational programs and restoration endeavors.