Exterior Image of National Atomic Testing Museum.
(Photo Courtesy of National Atomic Testing Museum)
NATIONAL ATOMIC TESTING MUSEUM ANNOUNCES PROGRAMS, PROMOTIONS
IN JULY, AUGUST
The National Atomic Testing Museum (NATM) announces its roster of public programs and promotions for July and August.
All museum events require registration. For more information on the museum’s programs and to register, visit www.nationalatomictestingmuseum.org/museum-events/.
Movie Night at the Museum: “Alamogordo, Center of the World, Trinity 1945”
Date: Thursday, July 14
Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Trinity Theater inside the National Atomic Testing Museum
Cost: Free. To RSVP, click here.
Description: Guests are invited to a special screening of the short documentary “Alamogordo, Center of the World, Trinity 1945” with film producer Larry Sheffield. The 30-minute film detailing the world’s first detonation of an atomic bomb received four different film festival awards since it premiered in 2020. Sheffield will introduce the film and will lead a Q & A session after the screening.
Speaker: Larry Sheffield is a filmmaker and historian whose grandfather worked on the Manhattan Project.
Sedan Crater 60th Anniversary Roundtable and Breakfast
Date: Saturday, July 30
Time: 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: National Atomic Testing Museum.
Cost: $10 for general admission, $5 for students with valid IDs and free for museum members. To RSVP, click here.
Description: On July 6, 1962, the U.S. conducted the Sedan nuclear weapons test at what is now known as the Nevada National Security Site to explore the technical and economic feasibility of using nuclear explosives for peaceful purposes in industrial applications. The test resulted in the formation of the Sedan Crater, one of the largest man-made craters on the planet. In 1994, the crater was listed on the National Register of Historic Places due to its tremendous size.
The museum invites the public to a roundtable discussion commemorating the 60th anniversary of this momentous test. During the event, three former Nevada Test Site employees and current trustees for the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation will share their remembrances about Sedan and answer moderator-led questions. Attendees will then have the exclusive opportunity to enjoy breakfast with the speakers and ask their own questions at this casual meet and greet.
Speakers:
- Peggy Hallerberg has been associated with programs at the former Nevada Test Site for more than 40 years. She is also a founding member of the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation and the National Atomic Testing Museum as well as a former executive with national defense contractor EG&G, Inc.
- Darwin Morgan is president of the National Atomic Testing Museum board of trustees. He is also a founding member of the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation and the National Atomic Testing Museum as well as the former director, Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Field Office.
- Ernest Williams is a founding member of the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation and the National Atomic Testing Museum. He is also a U.S. Air Force veteran and the former budget officer and engineering technician at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nevada Operations Office.
Distinguished Lecture with Steven Curtis: Clean Energy in Nevada Through Recycling Used Nuclear Fuel in Fast Reactors
Date: Saturday, August 6
Time: 1 to 3 p.m.
Location: National Atomic Testing Museum
Cost: Free. To RSVP, click here.
Description: Steven Curtis, who has been instrumental in speaking on behalf of Nevada acquiring used nuclear fuel to recycle in fast reactors, will be discussing the modern state of energy production and delivery in the U.S. and the implications of Nevada becoming a recycle center for used nuclear fuel.
Speaker: Steven Curtis was a technical team leader for the Nuclear Emergency Support Team and Consequence Management Technical Teams in Nevada for 13 years. He spent time at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the Desert Research Institute as a part-time development officer for national security programs. He is a consultant for Readiness Resource Group in national security and was an active-duty Army officer and company commander in the Army National Guard.
Journey Through Japan
Date: Saturday, August 13
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Location: National Atomic Testing Museum
Cost: This event is free thanks to support by Findlay Henderson Honda.
Description: The museum will once again partner with the Office of the Honorary Consul General of Japan for Nevada and several local Japanese community organizations to host “Journey through Japan.” This event will be dedicated to learning and celebrating Japanese culture and history through hands-on activities and demonstrations, including kite making, Japanese language lessons, tea ceremonies and a sake tasting for guests 21 years or older. The event will also feature Taiko drummers, Japanese dance groups and Koto performances.
Distinguished Lecture: 3rd Annual Atomic Bomb Survivor Testimonial
Date: Thursday, August 18
Time: 6 to 8 p.m.
Location: National Atomic Testing Museum
Cost: Free. Event registration will be available soon. Follow along at nationalatomictestingmuseum.org.
Description: The National Atomic Testing Museum is proud to partner with the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum for the 3rd annual atomic bomb survivor testimonial. The evening’s speaker, Ms. Sadae Kasaoka, was exposed to the atomic bomb when she was 12 years old and in her first year of girls’ high school in Hiroshima. At the moment of the explosion, she was at home and approximately two miles, or 3.5 kilometers, away from the hypocenter. In 2005, Ms. Kasaoka started sharing her A-bomb experiences to the students and visitors who come to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum from Japan and abroad.
Speaker: Ms. Sadae Kasaoka was exposed to the atomic bomb in Hiroshima when she was 12 years old.
Community Outreach Events
With a strong commitment to the Las Vegas community, the museum regularly participates in community outreach events. Outreach not only includes educational lessons about the history of nuclear testing but also topics related to science, technology, engineering, mathematics and more. In July and August, NATM will attend the following outreach events:
- Clark County School District (CCSD) New Teacher Kickoff Event on Thursday, July 28 from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The museum will be an exhibitor at the event where teachers will participate in a variety of sessions to prepare them for the upcoming school year.
Guided Tours
To preserve and foster public accessibility to the history associated with the Nevada Test Site and the nation’s nuclear weapons program, NATM regularly hosts field trips for the Clark County School District and other collegiate institutions. In July and August, NATM will host the following guided tours:
- Woodle Family Reunion on Saturday, July 16 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Nuclear Information and Records Management Association (NIRMA) Conference Attendees on Sunday, July 31 from 12 to 2 p.m.
Historical Dates in July and August
- Sedan Crater Formation: On July 6, 1962, the largest man-made crater in the United States was formed. The underground nuclear test at the former Nevada Test Site was part of Operation Plowshare, a program established to investigate the use of nuclear weapons for mining, cratering and other civilian purposes.
- Trinity The First Detonation of an Atomic Weapon: On July 16, 1945, the United States Army conducted the Trinity nuclear test plunging humanity into the atomic age. The first-ever nuclear bomb was detonated in New Mexico as part of the Manhattan Project.
- “Baker” Bikini Atoll, The First Underwater Nuclear Explosion: On July 25,1946, the United States conducted the first-ever underwater nuclear explosion. Detonated at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, the explosion was conducted to assess the damage to ships and submarines.
- Little Feller I, The Last Atmospheric Test in the U.S.: On July 17, 1962, the United States conducted its final atmospheric nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site.
- Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty Signed: The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) was signed on July 31, 1991, by former President George H.W. Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. The treaty limited the number of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and nuclear warheads either country could possess.
- Atomic Energy Act of 1946: The Atomic Energy Act of 1946, also known as the McMahon Act, determined how the United States would control and manage nuclear technology. The act signed into law on August 1 ruled that nuclear weapon development and nuclear power management would be under civilian, rather than military control, and established the United States Atomic Energy Commission for this purpose.
- The Limited Test Ban Treaty: On August 5, 1963, the Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed by the United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union. The treaty banned nuclear weapons testing in the atmosphere, in outer space and under water.
- Hiroshima Bombing: On August 6, 1945, during World War II, the United States detonated an atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The explosion immediately killed an estimated 80,000 people.
- Nagasaki Bombing: Days after the Hiroshima bombing, the United States dropped another atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki, killing approximately another 40,000 people.
- “Kearsarge” Joint Test Between U.S. and USSR: On August 17, 1988, the United States and the USSR conducted a joint verification experiment at the Nevada Test Site.
- Nevada Test Site Renamed Nevada National Security Site: In August 2010, the Nevada Test Site was renamed the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The site is no longer used for nuclear weapons testing but rather for U.S. national security needs.
Discounted Admission for Nevada Residents, Seniors, Students and Active Military
Cost: Various discounted tickets range from $18 to $20
Description: The National Atomic Testing Museum offers exclusive discounts for Nevada residents, seniors 62 years or older, students and active military. Tickets can be purchased in person or online by clicking here.
ABOUT NATIONAL ATOMIC TESTING MUSEUM
The National Atomic Testing Museum (NATM) is operated and maintained by its parent company, the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation (NTSHF), an IRS 501(c)3 charitable, non-profit organization chartered in Nevada. NATM is one of 37 museums designated as an Affiliate Partner of the Smithsonian Institution and is a repository for one of the most comprehensive collections of nuclear history in the world. Covering nuclear history beginning with the first test at the Nevada Test Site on January 27, 1951, NATM’s exhibitions and programming also address current affairs related to the nuclear industry. For more information, go to www.nationalatomictestingmuseum.org and follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.