NTS Historical Foundation/Atomic Testing Museum Fact Sheet

The Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation (NTSHF), a Nevada 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, was founded in 1998 for the purpose of preserving and interpreting the history of the Nevada Test Site. (The NTS served as the nation's principal on-continent nuclear weapons testing facility from 1951 to 1992.)

In partnership with the Desert Research Institute (DRI) and the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE), the NTSHF participated in the campaign to create and the design the program elements of the new Frank H. Rogers Science and Technology Building on the DRI campus at 755 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Atomic Testing Museum (ATM), a program of the NTSHF and a member of the Smithsonian Institution Affiliates Program, occupies the first floor of the Rogers Building. The 8,000 square foot permanent exhibit area is scheduled to open to the public on February 1, 2005 with the official grand opening celebration scheduled for Sunday, February 20th.

As the parent organization of the Atomic Testing Museum, the NTSHF is responsible for the collections of the museum and the programs it produces. The NTSHF governing board is comprised of a diverse group of forty individuals who share a passion for the history of the Nevada Test Site.

Atomic Testing Museum Exhibits
ATM permanent exhibits have been under development since 1997. NTSHF trustees, volunteers and members, led by the Canadian design team of Andre & Knowlton Associates from Victoria, British Columbia, have worked with DRI and DOE personnel, the national laboratories and museums such as the Smithsonian to create the Atomic Testing Museum's galleries and exhibits.

ATM permanent exhibits portray world history as community history through varied representations of the story of the NTS and its programs, first-person narratives, large iconic artifacts, authenticity of text, environmental re-creations, theatrical devices, interactive elements for personal exploration, multiple viewpoints expressed in multi-media presentations and stunning graphics, many not seen before.

Expected audiences are NTS veterans, local residents, tourists, and students. A 2003 UNLV visitor demand study indicated the potential for as many as 800,000 visitors to the ATM annually.

Nearly 50% of the funding for the design and construction of the museum space and permanent exhibit installation was received from congressional appropriations secured with the help of Senator Harry Reid. Remaining funding was donated by individuals and corporations including Jim Rogers, Mrs. Herbert E. Grier, Mr. George Wackenhut, Bechtel Foundation, Lockheed Martin, and Bill and Mary O'Donnell.