While I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico one thing I had to check out was the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History because I knew there would be items related to the Manhattan Project there, and I think by now, you are all aware of my obsession with this. There were indeed many things to see in relation to the Manhattan Project, but there were also a lot of other things too. For example the top of a submarine, missiles, planes, and more. The museum is ADA friendly both indoors and outdoors.
They have a replica of the 100 Foot Tower that was built at the Trinity Site as well as a replica of "Gadget." "Gadget" was the nuclear device that was detonated at the Trinity Site and it was a plutonium bomb, which is more powerful than a uranium bomb. You can read about my visit to the Trinity Site HERE.
I thought this was really cool: uranium glass! how wild is this!? They are both beautiful and deadly.
There are also replicas of "Fat Man" and "Little Boy." "Fat Man" (the yellow one) was also a plutonium bomb like "Gadget" and was the atomic bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9th, 1945 during WWII. "Little Boy" (the green one) was a uranium atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6th, 1945 during WWII. The uranium for this was enriched at the Y-12 Complex in Oak Ridge, TN. You can read about my visits to Oak Ridge and Y-12 here HERE and HERE. Little Boy was designed in Los Alamos, NM.
The picture below is not a replica, this is one of the original calutron's that was at the Y-12 Complex. It was used to separate isotopes U-235 from U-238 (uranium). If you need a quick history on this, check out the last half of this blog.
This museum is definitely not for everyone; I know a lot of people who would be bored to tears visiting this place. I however found it very interesting, and anyone who is curious about nuclear related things would also enjoy it.
You can read more about my visit to Albuquerque HERE!
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