almost there

We are less than 24 hours away from our first event in the new museum - and tickets are still available!

The staff is exhausted, to say the least, but cannot express our excitement over sharing this triumph to the world. We can't wait to open the doors, and welcome guests from all over the world to learn about the science, physics, history, politics, origins, and future of the nuclear world. Our World.

We can't wait to share our new treasures, like the 1942 Packard Clipper - "Oppie's Ride":




She came home yesterday, much to our delight. She is beautiful and ready for her debut.

If you are able to make it out to any of our opening events this weekend, please take a moment to smile and thank any staff member or volunteer that you recognize. We are blessed to have a generous & dedicated group of people involved in this project from the early beginnings to the very end, and those people have given more to this museum than anyone could quantify. But know that the best way to thank us is not only to visit us, but to visit often! And bring friends!

sophistication, class, and style

Just three of the many wonderful words that have been used to describe the new and re-vamped exhibits at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. Curious? Well, we've uploaded many pictures of the progress over the past few days to our photo site. We can't wait for you to see them in person. GRAND OPENING this Saturday April 4th at 9am. BUT, if you'd like a sneak peek - you are welcome to buy a ticket to our celebratory cocktail reception this Thursday April 2nd, 2009. For more information please call (505) 245-2137 x. 114.



The Entrance to ENERGY ENCOUNTERS



The Entrance to URANIUM CYCLE

it's PLANE to see...this will be an exciting weekend!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!

The National Atomic Museum will move its largest artifact, a B-52B bomber, to its new location in southeast Albuquerque on January 10 and 11, 2009. The historic plane has been stored at the Museum’s previous location on Kirtland Air Force Base.

The plane wings will be hauled in pieces by tractor-trailer two miles to the new Museum location at Eubank and Southern Blvds. SE in Albuquerque, adjacent to the Sandia Science and Technology Park and KAFB. The route will take the planes from their current location off of Wyoming Boulevard to the new site, where a new Museum is under construction.

The fuselage will be towed on its own wheelgear by two special tow bars. The plane was delivered to KAFB from the Boeing plant. The plane was always used in the special weapons program, where it was flown to the test site in Nevada; it was not part of the Strategic Air Command, unlike most B52s.

The Boeing Stratofortress B-52 has been the main long-range heavy bomber of the Strategic Air Command. Affectionately known as the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fella), the B-52 first flew on April 15, 1952. Nearly 750 B-52s were built when production ended in October 1963; the Museum’s plane may be one of two B-52B planes still in existence. On January 18, 1957, three B-52Bs completed the world's first non-stop round-the-world flight by jet aircraft, lasting 45 hours, 19 minutes, with only three aerial refuelings en route. A B-52 also made the first known airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956.

“Moving these significant artifacts represents a huge step toward becoming the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History,” said Jim Walther, Director of the Museum. “We know the public will appreciate having these giants available for viewing. We hear repeatedly how eager people are to see these important historical aircraft.”

Worldwide Aircraft Recovery Ltd. has provided assistance in a number of projects, including the entire Strategic Air Command Museum and its B-52, B-36, B-58, and an Atlas missile. They will move eight pieces for the Museum: four aircraft and four missiles. In addition to the B-52, the Bomarc, Mace, Matador, and Snark cruise missiles will be moved; three planes have already moved in October 2008. There are also plans to relocate a MiG-21 from Tucson, Arizona, to the new site.

Update on the Aircraft Move

from our friend Richard L. Perry, P.E.
Senior Manager, Corporate Engineering Practice
Sandia National Laboratories


Board member Jerry Adams will lead a team of volunteers over the coming weekend to start cleaning the B-29. We need to remove the rather massive amounts of pigeon remains from the aircraft in order to reduce the likelihood of corrosion and preserve the structural integrity of the airframes. After this weekend's activities, we will have a better idea of the extent of the cleaning required.

Worldwide Aircraft Recovery has returned to Nebraska to collect some required tools for the B-52 disassembly and move. They will return in a couple of weeks with towbars and additional trailers for the move.



This week NM Millwrights used the largest crane in New Mexico (100 ton capacity) to move the Atomic Cannon and Mk17 shape to make room for maneuvering the B-52 so that the wing can be removed. The center section of the Atomic Cannon weighs 110,000 pounds, and the Mk17 weighs 41,000 pounds.



Board President Chuck Loeber and Project Manager Harry Mumma report that the work to pour the concrete pads on the new museum site for the first aircraft displays (B-52, B-29, A-7, F-105) has begun. WWAR will fabricate the steel stands needed for the displays as part of their contract.

First planes, no trains, now automobiles!

One of the new exhibits for the new museum will be a life size diorama of the Trinity Testing site, enclosed in the Manhattan Project exhibit. This exhibit will be packed with valuable information, but also filled with valuable artifacts! Two of those items are our Atomic Autos. We’ve been lucky to have come across two vehicles that were used by the US military in the 1940’s.

1941 Packard Clipper


Parked at the Trinity Testing Site in 1945.

“Ask the man who owns one”

This was the famous slogan that stood for one of the finest automobiles produced in America. It’s no wonder that a 1941 Packard Clipper, converted into a custom limo by Fitzjohn Coach Company, was chosen to transport Manhattan Project Scientists from the railway station in Lamy to Los Alamos. It also carried personnel to the Trinity base camp for the testing of the first atomic bomb. The car was donated to the Museum and requires extensive restoration.


Sitting on a flatbed in Albuquerque, NM. Waiting to be restored.

1942 Plymouth Special Deluxe


Plutonium being unloaded, on the Trinity Testing Site in 1945.

This is the type of vehicle utilized by the US military during the 1940’s. This particular model was the vehicle used to carry the plutonium core for the “device” – the first atomic bomb – to the Trinity site for the historic test that would change the world. This particular model was purchased by the museum to be restored to military function and look for this exhibit.

We were lucky enough to have this vehicle painted by Car Crafters here in Albuquerque, New Mexico - just in time for our annual fundraising event. It was towed to and from the event with the help of Macy's Towing. The annual Einstein Gala was a one of a kind event, partly due to the presence of this beautiful vehicle. All our donors, friends, and volunteers got the pleasure of a vintage photo opportunity with the Plymouth.


Fresh paint and on display with long time volunteer Dick Justus at the annual National Atomic Museum Einstein Gala fundraising event, March 2008.

More pictures of the Atomic Autos project can be found here.

A good looking crew

We'd like to introduce you to the crew of Worldwide Aircraft Recovery. This is the team responsible for relocating eight external exhibits from our former museum location on Kirtland AirForce Base to our new site. As mentioned in the prior post, these exhibits include the B-29, B-52, F-105, and A-7 airplanes along with the Bomarc, Mace, Matador, and Snark cruise missiles. In addition, we plan to relocate a MiG-21 from Tucson, Arizona to our new site.

Ben Nattrass and his team from WWAR arrived at KAFB on Wednesday July 16th, and they immediately began work. The photo shows Ben and his team starting to disassemble the B-29.

If all goes well, they will complete their disassembly work by the end of August and move these exhibits onto our new site in September. They will then reassemble everything.

Big thanks to Ben and his team for taking on this project! The staff, board, and volunteers of the National Atomic Museum can hardly wait to be reunited with our planes and missiles when we move and become the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History next year.

New Museum = New Exhibits

The National Museum of Nuclear Science and History provides an independent, balanced, and accessible source of knowledge about nuclear issues - essential for an informed public, essential for acceptance of the nuclear industry, and a source of inspiration and education for young people - our next generation of nuclear engineers. Museum staff and volunteers have worked diligently to develop a series of new and redesigned exhibits to honor and support this mission.

Major Educational Exhibits planned in the new museum:

• Radiation 101


• Atomic Universe


• Energy Encounters


• The Uranium Cycle


• Pioneers of the Atomic Age


• Handle with Care; Radioactive Waste


• Myths to Miracles; Nuclear Medicine & Radiology


• Trinity and Legacy


• Doomsday to Détente; The Cold War


• Little Al’s Laboratory, Interactive Youth Physics Center


• The MAZE; Global Conversations & Nuclear Issues
  (this exhibit will address major issues and controversies and will be updated regularly to remain current)