National Museum of Nuclear Science and History
601 Eubank Blvd SE
Albuquerque, NM
The only nuclear museum chartered by the U.S. Congress, telling the whole story of the Atomic Age from the Manhattan Project to today, with a nine-acre outdoor park of aircraft and missiles.
The National Museum of Nuclear Science and History in Albuquerque is the only museum of its kind chartered by the United States Congress, and a Smithsonian Affiliate, which makes it far more than a local science stop. It sets out to tell the whole story of the Atomic Age, from the first glimmerings of atomic science through the secret rush of the Manhattan Project and the tense decades of the Cold War, to the peaceful uses of nuclear power in medicine and energy today.
That story runs especially deep in New Mexico, where the first atomic bomb was designed at Los Alamos and tested in the desert to the south. The museum lays it all out honestly, weapons and wonders alike, so visitors can grapple with one of the most consequential chapters in modern history. Out back, a nine-acre park called Heritage Park lets you walk among the real aircraft, missiles, and rockets that carried the age forward.
What Guests Love
- The full arc of the Atomic Age under one roof, from early discovery through the Manhattan Project and Cold War to medicine and energy today
- Heritage Park, a nine-acre outdoor field of real aircraft, missiles, rockets, and a submarine sail
- A rare, plain-spoken look at a story that shaped New Mexico and the world
- Family-friendly hands-on science areas that make big ideas approachable for kids
Worth Knowing
- It is a Smithsonian Affiliate and the only nuclear museum chartered by the U.S. Congress, so the depth and credibility are real
- Plan for a couple of hours indoors plus time to walk Heritage Park outside, which is exposed to the desert sun
- The subject matter is handled thoughtfully but is serious history, worth knowing before bringing very young children
- It sits on the east side of the city, an easy drive from Old Town and Route 66 attractions
Details
Albuquerque, NM
Learn about National Museum of Nuclear Science and History
From atomic museum to national charter
The museum opened in 1969 as the National Atomic Museum, first housed on Kirtland Air Force Base, where much of the country's nuclear work was carried out. In 1991 Congress granted it a national charter under federal law, and its mission broadened from telling the story of nuclear weapons to covering all of nuclear science and history, including its many peaceful uses.
After the September 2001 attacks, tighter security on the base cut off easy public access, and the museum eventually moved off-base to its current home on the east side of Albuquerque. Today it stands as a Smithsonian Affiliate and the only congressionally chartered museum in its field, a national repository for the story of the Atomic Age.
Telling the whole story
Inside, the exhibits walk visitors through the entire arc of nuclear history. Galleries cover the atomic pioneers and the early science, the enormous secret effort of the Manhattan Project, and the long Cold War standoff that followed. Others turn to how the same science reshaped everyday life, from nuclear medicine that saves lives to reactors that power cities, alongside a look at how the bomb entered popular culture in film, toys, and design.
It is a story that runs right through New Mexico's own ground. The bomb was designed up the road at Los Alamos and first tested in the desert to the south at the Trinity site, so the history on the walls happened, in part, just beyond the city. The museum tells it plainly, holding both the terror and the promise of the atom in view, which is what lifts it above an ordinary science museum.
Heritage Park, out under the sky
Behind the building lies Heritage Park, a nine-acre outdoor exhibit that is a favorite with many visitors. Here the machines of the age sit out in the open desert air: iconic aircraft, towering missiles and rockets, military vehicles, and even a submarine's sail, arranged so you can walk among them and take in their sheer scale.
Standing beneath a bomber or a Cold War missile makes the history feel physical in a way that no display case can. Because the park is exposed to the New Mexico sun, it is best enjoyed in the cooler part of the day or the milder seasons, with water and a hat in hand. Together the indoor galleries and the outdoor field make for a full and memorable visit.
Visiting the museum
The museum sits on Eubank Boulevard on the east side of Albuquerque, near Kirtland Air Force Base and the Sandia foothills, an easy drive from the city's Old Town and its stretch of historic Route 66. Give yourself a couple of hours for the indoor galleries and extra time to explore Heritage Park outside.
The subject is handled with care but it is serious, weighty history, so it is worth knowing what you are walking into, especially with young children in tow. For anyone curious about science, the Cold War, or the story that put New Mexico on the world stage, it is one of the most substantial and thought-provoking stops in the state.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Albuquerque
Sandia Peak Tramway
About 8 miles
One of the longest aerial trams in the world, climbing from the desert floor to the crest of the Sandia Mountains for sweeping views over Albuquerque.
Old Town Albuquerque
About 9 miles
The city's original 1700s plaza, ringed by adobe buildings, galleries, and the historic San Felipe de Neri Church.
Petroglyph National Monument
About 15 miles
Thousands of ancient images carved into volcanic rock along the city's west mesa by Native peoples and early Spanish settlers.
Historic Route 66
About 8 miles
Central Avenue carries the old Mother Road through Albuquerque, lined with vintage neon signs, diners, and mid-century motels.