A nice cultural diversion from the strip. Admission was a bit pricey ($12 per person), but there's some fascinating stuff here. Interesting movies and exhibits. I would plan to stay for at least a couple of hours. Agree with other reviewers that the negative impact of testing was a bit glossed over. Overall, a good excuse to get off the Strip.

Well worth a visit - I started walking down Flamingo and checked with a bus driver that I was headed in the right direction and he advised me to get the bus - and I would advise you to do the same especially if it's a hot day. When you get there the tour is very interesting, though they ask you not to take photos. Plenty of hands-on displays as well as videos to watch so you can easily kill a couple of hours away from the hurly burly of the strip.

The Atomic Testing Museum presents the history of the Nevada Test Site, where nuclear weapons research and testing took place for about 50 years.

The museum covers everything from the big picture of the world political climate during this period, to how Nevada itself received and was impacted by the site and its activities.

The museum collection consists of printed displays, audio/visual, historic artifacts, small video theatres, etc. Vintage film footage of atom/hydrogen bomb testing is interesting and at times dramatic. The enormity of such an event can scarecly be imagined even after watching the films. There are also plenty of film clips from news reels and TV shows of the time period to give place to the cultural context in which these weapons were being developed/tested.

Various aspects of nuclear bombs are covered - how the science works, how it was developed, why it was developed, testing, nuclear waste, clean-up, etc. - even things you probably never wondered about - like the difference between atmospheric testing versus underground testing.

Some of the film clips seemed eerily casual about the radioactive particle fallout - for example - young men in the armed forces who had just watched the bomb testing are then observed dusting each other off with common brooms. Maybe they were sure the wind blew the stuff the other way.....

During my visit there was a special exhibit entitled "How To Photograph An Atomic Bomb" which included the stunning and yet devastating photograph of a South Pacific underwater bomb test. Almost heart-stopping.

I did not watch every single video available, nor read every single document, but was left with the impression that human health/life effects were skimmed over rather lightly. A few times theories were presented as facts. Most obnoxious is that in the first half of the museum, the loud audio displays blaring from multiple directions made it very difficult to absorb the information on the printed panels. This didn't seem to be a problem in the second half of the museum.

There is a gift shop in the lobby with some amusing items (like "atomic lip balm"). However, I think they missed the boat by not offering postcards with some of the more fearsome bomb test photographs - which are both spectacular and bone chilling at the same time.

Admission was a bit high at $12. Science and/or history buffs could easily spend a couple hours in here. There's a lot on display spanning from beginning of nuclear research to the current day related activities. You could do the museum "lite" by just watching some videos and glancing at a few bomb casings or go for brain stimulation by doing some serious study of the information presented here.

Even our two kids, ages 10 and 12, found this little museum a worthwhile stop. It is only a five minute drive East of the Strip on Flamingo Road, near the University.

A volunteer, a former Los Alamos scientist, was on hand to lend the personal touch, that can make a museum visit more memorable. This was a part of our history which we don't know much about, given the distance from our home and the time period. But the museum gave a balanced presentation of both sides to the testing, including information on demonstrations and lawsuits from victims of the fallout or drifting radiation over the many years of testing here.

There were many impressive photographs of the mushroom clouds and a couple of movies, one of which gave you the viewpoint of the observers that were allowed to witness the explosions (and you really feel it)!