NPS/BURGHART
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The Hanford Engineer Works produced plutonium at a roughly 600-square-mile (1554-square-km) site along the Columbia River in Washington state for the Manhattan Project during World War II. Workers at the Hanford Site constructed and operated the world’s first nuclear production reactors that produced the plutonium used in the Trinity Test and in the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, on August 9, 1945. The Tri-Cities has two visitor centers where you can start your Manhattan Project National Historical Park experience:
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Basic Information about Hanford Unit
We offer a traditional passport stamp as well as a unique three-part stamp. Travel to our visitor centers in Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, and the Tri-Cities to receive one-third of a stamp. By the end of your journey, you will have a whole stamp.
- Hanford Visitor Center: Our park does not charge admission fees for any of our visitor centers.
- US Department of Energy Guided Tours at the Hanford Site: The Department of Energy does not charge fees for tours of the B Reactor or Pre-War historic sites.
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America the Beautiful Passes: While none of our visitor centers sell passes, the National Park Service offers a variety of park passes.
- Park calendar: Visit our park calendar to learn about ranger programs and special events at each of the park's locations: Los Alamos, New Mexico, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the Tri-Cities, Washington.
- Hanford Places to Go: Visit the Hanford Places to Go page to see all the places related to the Manhattan Project that you can explore. This includes our visitor center, historic facilities with the Department of Energy, and historic sites and educational centers around the Tri-Cities.
- Hanford Things to Do: Visit the Hanford Things to Do page to see all the activities related to the Manhattan Project. This includes guided and self-guided tours. It also includes programs and activities with our park, the Department of Energy, and numerous organizations around the Tri-Cities.
- Self-guided Tours with our App: Download the National Park Service app and go to the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. There, you will find information about all the places you can visit as well as information on self-guided tours.
- Junior Ranger Program: Our Junior Ranger book is available in-person at our visitor center or on our website. Kids of all ages can complete the book's activities and earn a Junior Ranger certificate, badge, and patch.
Many of the park’s historic properties are located “behind the fence” on secure Department of Energy nuclear reservations. Public access is only permitted though public tours facilitated by the Department of Energy. The Department of Energy offers two tours: B Reactor and Pre-War Historic Sites.
- An audio description of the visitor center can be found on the National Park Service mobile app and can be viewed in this audio description of the visitor center pdf.
- Park Film: The park orientation film, Hanford Made, is available for viewing in the visitor center and includes open captions.
- Hanford Junior Ranger Book: The Hanford Junior Ranger Book is online and can be read with a screen reader.
- US Department of Energy Guided Tours at Hanford Site: For information on the accessibility of B Reactor and Pre-War Historic Sites tours, please visit the Department of Energy website.
If you are planning to explore areas of the park that are closed to pets, we recommend that you contact a local pet care provider. Commercial kennels and pet sitters are available in surrounding communities. Please check local listings. Reservations are strongly advised and may be required. The National Park Service has a national policy on service animals that applies to all parks which can be found here: Service Animals - Accessibility (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) .For more information about pets in parks, visit the National Park Pets website.
Free public WiFi is available at the Hanford Visitor Center but not at the B-Reactor or at any of the historic structures on the tour route. Cellular service is available in the Tri-Cities.
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Last updated: August 28, 2023