Manhattan Project National Historical Park
Innovation that Changed the World
Oak Ridge, TN was instrumental in the United States win over Nazi Germany during WWII because of the development of the atomic bomb. Known as the “Secret City”, Oak Ridge was not on any maps and 100,000 workers were brought to the city to work on a Top Secret war project, known as the Manhattan Project.
The Manhattan Project is the story of generals, physicists, chemists, mathematicians, engineers, brought together to broaden the limits of human knowledge and technological achievements in ways never before imagined. It is also the story of death and destruction associated with WWII, and a new weapon capable of unimagined levels of devastation, produced by workers who had no idea they were working on the device that would end the war.
Visitor Contact Station
located at Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge
The Manhattan Project National Park consists of 3 cities; Oak Ridge, TN-Los Alamos, NM- Hanford, WA. The National Park is designed to educate the public and interpret what some have called “the single most significant event of the 20th century,” the development of the atomic bomb and introduction of the Nuclear Age.
The Manhattan Project National Historical Park consists of three sites located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Los Alamos, New Mexico; and Hanford, Washington. Newly opened in 2015, this historic park features sites, facilities, equipment, and artifacts associated with an unprecedented top-secret government program known as the Manhattan Project. The project enabled the U.S. to develop the atomic weapons that brought an end to World War II. The legacy of the Manhattan Project is seen in many areas such as space travel, nuclear medicine, and energy production to name a few. The Manhattan Project National Historical Park tells the stories of people, events, science, and engineering that changed the world.
The Manhattan Project National Park consists of 3 cities; Oak Ridge, TN-Los Alamos, NM- Hanford, WA. The National Park is designed to educate the public and interpret what some have called “the single most significant event of the 20th century,” the development of the atomic bomb and introduction of the Nuclear Age.
The Manhattan Project National Historical Park consists of three sites located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Los Alamos, New Mexico; and Hanford, Washington. Newly opened in 2015, this historic park features sites, facilities, equipment, and artifacts associated with an unprecedented top-secret government program known as the Manhattan Project. The project enabled the U.S. to develop the atomic weapons that brought an end to World War II. The legacy of the Manhattan Project is seen in many areas such as space travel, nuclear medicine, and energy production to name a few. The Manhattan Project National Historical Park tells the stories of people, events, science, and engineering that changed the world.
Explore the Park
American Museum of Science & Energy
Bus tours depart from AMSE and admission to the museum is included in your bus tour. A visit to AMSE before the start of the tour provides background details to more fully enjoy the tour experience!
New Hope Visitor Center
(bus tour stop)
Featuring displays about the Manhattan Project, the Cold War, and Y-12 missions, on-staff historians will share how a team of thousands completed a top secret project that would have impacts on technology and history for decades to come.
Bethel Valley Church
Founded in 1851, the church served as a primary gathering space for community residents upon its founding and after its incorporation into the Secret City. See the covered grave houses in the cemetery, a feature unique to the region.
X-10 Graphite Reactor at ORNL
(bus tour stop)
The world’s oldest nuclear reactor, X-10 served as the pilot project that led to the first production of plutonium. For years after the war, it was the world's foremost source of radioisotopes for medicine, agriculture, and industry.
Historic Jackson Square
(self-guided)
Jackson Square lies at the center of the historic district, which once served as the city’s original town site.
Y-12 Pilot Plant
(Virtual Tour)
Go behind-the-fence on a virtual tour of the Y-12 Pilot Plant (Building 9731) at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
X-10 Graphite Reactor Tour
(Virtual Tour)
Go behind the fence on a virtual tour of the X-10 Graphite Reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Located on the grounds of present-day Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), X-10 was the first full scale nuclear reactor.
Alexander Inn / Guest House
(self-guided)
The historic Alexander Inn, originally known as The Guest House, was built during the Manhattan Project. It was built to house official visitors and later used as a hotel.
Secret City Commemorative Walk
(self-guided)
This memorial honors the thousands of men and women who moved to a secret city to help end World War II.
Chapel on the Hill
(self-guided)
This beautiful wooden chapel was Oak Ridge, Tennessee’s primary church during the Manhattan Project.
Oak Ridge History Museum
(self-guided)
The Oak Ridge History Museum focuses on Manhattan Project history and people’s day-to-day lives during World War II.
K25 History Center (bus tour stop)
This museum honors the stories of those who helped construct and operate the K-25 uranium enrichment complex.
Video Archive
The Oak Ridge Story
In this video from our friends at the American Museum of Science and Energy, photography and archival footage tell the story of Oak Ridge’s rich and fascinating history.
Our Hidden Past - Y12's First Mission
E.O. Lawrence’s calutrons separated the isotopes that made the first Atomic bomb possible. However, his methods caused some excitement at the Y-12 plant in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
History in Five: The Secret City
Learn more about Girls of Atomic City in this The top-secret World War II town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, became the center of the government’s research to build an atomic bomb. Author Denise Kiernan, reveals the 5 things you should know about THE GIRLS OF ATOMIC CITY.
The Manhattan Project
In this video from the National Park Service, excellent photography showcases the story of how the Manhattan Project came to be.
Faith and Family
Valeria Steele-Roberson reflects on her grandparents’s lives in Oak Ridge, TN during the Manhattan Project.
Calutron Girl
Y-12 trained local women to operate the Calutrons that were used to separate the uranium that was used in the first atomic bomb to help end WWII.
OAK RIDGE HISTORY MUSEUM
The Oak Ridge History Museum is a place where you can come and experience the Manhattan era of Oak Ridge! Learn what people were like and how they lived.
EXPLORE OAK RIDGE'S MUSEUMS
Oak Ridge is home to four museums and you can visit them all on your next visit to the Secret City. Be sure to visit the American Museum of Science and Energy, the K-25 History Museum, The Oak Ridge History Museum, and the Oak Ridge Children’s Museum.
Click the orange boxes to see additional videos.
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