Los Alamos

Left image
Los Alamos Project Main Gate during the Manhattan Project.
Credit: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

Right image
Los Alamos Project Main Gate today.
Credit: NPS

History & Culture

In Los Alamos, New Mexico, Manhattan Project administrators found an ideal location for the secret laboratory where they designed and built the world’s first atomic weapons. During the Manhattan Project, Los Alamos became the home to many of the top scientific minds of the day: J. Robert Oppenheimer, Norris Bradbury, Richard Feynman, Hans Bethe, and many more luminaries. These scientists, along with engineers and military officials, worked together to design, develop, and assemble atomic weapons, using enriched uranium from Oak Ridge and plutonium from Hanford. On August 6 and 9, 1945, the US detonated these two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Explore Los Alamos and the Manhattan Project through six themes that weave the different places within and around Los Alamos together.

Choose a Theme

Displacement

Learn about the people that called Los Alamos home before the Manhattan Project.
Secret Cities & Communities

Immerse yourself in the community and culture of Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project.
Behind the Fence

Peek Behind the Fence to explore the top-secret Atomic Weapons program at Los Alamos.
Breaking Scientific Boundaries

Explore the groundbreaking discoveries and scientific pioneers of Los Alamos.
Untold Stories

Discover the unique and little-known stories of Los Alamos.
Legacies

Follow the lasting legacy of the Manhattan Project from past to present.