Atomic Test Museum

I bought reduced tickets for the Atomic Test Museum over a month ago when I saw the deal on Groupon. I knew Isaac would love to go after he picked that very topic for his history research paper. When we got to our last Las Vegas week, I knew we had to squeeze it in asap. We actually ended up using two Groupons the same day, but more on the second in a moment. It was a very decent little museum with plenty of displays and info. I'll let the pictures tell the story.

Isaac still doesn't want to smile for the camera.

Makenna looking at a 1950's office recreation. There are top secret reports and big things called "typewriters".

In front of the display of atomic pop culture.

Using one of the interactive displays.

Jess calling in the all's clear.

Jess pushing the detonate button for an underground test.

Testing for radioactivity.

Recent areal shot of the test site. All the craters are from underground tests.

Isaac in front of one of the components from the test tubes.

The microseconds just after detonation. Isaac was amazed at the slow motion cameras. Jess is slowly rolling through slow-mo pictures of a nearby area as it gets hit by the shock wave.

Makenna going though a safety check for a rescue worker dealing with possibly radiation.

Jess standing by chunks from the Berlin Wall.

Isaac standing by an I-beam from a World Trade Tower.

All in all it was educational and eye opening about the history of atomic weapons and the roll of the Test Site originally and currently.

When we left, we grabbed a quick lunch then went downtown to Planet Hollywood to use our Groupon Tickets to Piano! Las Vegas. It was a contemporary piano concert, sometimes backed up with a 6 man band. I bought the tickets hoping to inspire my budding pianists to keep practicing and to see what's possible. It was an impressive show and had the desired affect.

We had to rush off afterward to get back up north for an unusual Monday night football practice because Isaac had a playoff game scheduled for the following evening. It meant another night of getting back to the Jones' after the kids were in bed, again.