Manhattan Project National Historical Park, National historical park in Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, and Hanford, United States
Manhattan Project National Historical Park spreads across three locations in Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, and Hanford, documenting the nuclear research facilities from World War II. The sites preserve buildings, laboratories, and production plants that played a central role in developing the first atomic bombs.
The three sites emerged between 1942 and 1943 as part of a secret government program to develop nuclear weapons. By the end of the war in 1945, tens of thousands of people worked here on uranium enrichment, reactor design, and weapon production.
The park maintains original buildings, technical equipment, and personal objects that reveal the daily experiences of the personnel involved in this scientific endeavor.
Guided tours are available at all three locations, with each site showing different aspects of research and production. Visits often require advance registration since some areas remain security zones or are actively used for other purposes.
The K-25 building at Oak Ridge, on the site of today's East Tennessee Technology Park, was among the largest buildings in the world and used gaseous diffusion for uranium enrichment. The three units were chosen from eight surveyed locations, and the park was authorized in the National Defense Authorization Act signed by President Obama after bills failed in 2012 and 2013.
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