Los Alamos, New Mexico: Bradbury Science Center

Los Alamos is a relatively little town in the hills of New Mexico. It's also one of the smartest towns in America - thanks to the National Laboratory that's located there. It is best known as the place where scientists figured out a way to create an atomic bomb during World War II.

You'd expect such a place to have a science museum, and Los Alamos indeed has one. The Bradbury Science Center is considered the best such museum in the state when it comes to atomic energy.

The biggest attraction in the place comes right away. Replicas of the two bombs - Fat Man and Little Boy 0 are right by the lobby as you enter. It's part of the room devoted to defense, which includes safeguards, science and a theater that shows a movie about the lab. The other rooms are devoted to research, history, and a film on the Manhattan Project. It is all well done, and not exactly dumbed down either. Interestingly, there's a "public forum" area in which people can offer different views concerning the subjects raised in the museum, which is a nice touch.

There is a small gift area, which sells such items as a toy Einstein and shirts with the National Laboratory logo on it. If you have any interest in the subject of atomic energy - and most people who come here probably do - this should be an early stop of your visit.

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