News Release

Manhattan Project National Historical Park to host commemoration events in Richland, WA in observation of the 80th anniversary of atomic bombings of Japan

Messages of peace, written by community members on the luminaria bags frame the event location, accompany this quiet, contemplative experience.

NPS/Zimmerman

News Release Date: July 31, 2025

Contact: Becky Burghart, 208-848-6098

Richland, W.A. – Manhattan Project National Historical Park will observe the 80th anniversary of the 1945 atomic bombings of Japan in the waning days of World War II with two events. The first is a Messages of Peace program on Friday, August 8, at the REACH Museum starting at 12:00 pm, followed by a Lights for Peace program on Saturday, August 9 starting at 8:00 pm at the Fingernail Stage in Howard Amon Park.   

On August 9, 1945, the US Army Air Force dropped the plutonium-fueled Fat Man atomic bomb over Nagasaki in the second, and so far, the last nuclear bombing of a population in history. The Manhattan Project facilities at Hanford produced the plutonium used in Fat Man bomb.   

On August 8, in collaboration with the REACH Museum, the park will host Messages of Peace from 12:00 to 3:30 pm. The community is invited to write or draw messages on the luminaria bags that will be displayed during the Lights for Peace program the following day. The public can stop by the REACH Museum any time between 12:00 and 3:30 pm to write a message and fold an origami crane. Ranger programs about the Manhattan Project and Sadako Sasaki, a young survivor of Hiroshima, will be offered at 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm. This is a family-friendly event included with museum admission and is free for REACH Members. All supplies are provided.  

On August 9, the park will host a free one-hour Lights for Peace event at the Fingernail Stage in Howard Amon Park in Richland at 8:00 pm. The program will feature music from the Mid-Columbia Mastersingers, a guest speaker, and an opportunity to ring a peace bell. The public will also have an opportunity to walk a path lit with luminarias that feature messages of peace written by community members. The program provides a quiet contemplative experience.   

“We are offering this Lights for Peace experience to mark the atomic bombings of Japan. Lights for Peace aims to provide an opportunity to remember and reflect on these world-changing events that happened 80 years ago,” said Hanford Unit Site Manager Becky Burghart.   

Howard Amon Park does not offer seating. It is recommended to bring chairs or blankets for seating. Visit Messages of Peace and Lights for Peace for more information about these events.    

Manhattan Project National Historical Park sites at Los Alamos, NM and Oak Ridge, TN and Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Hawaii will host similar community events to commemorate the 80^th Anniversary of the bombings starting on August 6^th. Visit Days of Peace and Remembrance and Messages of Peace to learn about park events that mark the atomic bombings of Japan. Articles and other materials in Seeds for Reflection provide information for learning about the complex history and legacies of the Manhattan Project.