B Reactor Atomic Culture Room: Dr. Strangelove

The Dr. Strangelove exhibit panel in the Atomic Culture Room.

See exhibit panel for specific image credits.

Main Text
Text at the bottom right reads, “Dr. Strangelove - An Air Force pilot sits atop a nuclear bomb, whooping and hollering as it falls to its target. This scene is from Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 classic, Dr. Strangelove, a film about an accidental nuclear war. U.S. Air Force General Jack Ripper orders a nuclear attack on the U.S.S.R. without approval from his superiors. By the time others realize what happened, it is too late. Kubrick used dark humor to capture the widespread fear of the 1960s about the possibility of a nuclear war starting from the actions of one person.” At the top left, text in a small, gray inset circle reads: “A retired Royal Air Force pilot provided Stanley Kubrick with information that he used to write Dr. Strangelove.”

Exhibit Panel Description
A poster entitled “Movies,” shows the circular tail of a large, metal bomb with metal fins sticking out from the sides. Stenciled white text on the back of the bomb reads, “Nuclear warhead. Handle with care.” Hand-painted text below those words reads, “Hi, There!”

Visit This Exhibit Panel
In-person visitation of the B Reactor is only authorized on guided tours offered by the Department of Energy.