New Mexico was the birthplace of the atom bomb. In 1942, in the throes of World War II, a team of engineers and physicists gathered in Los Alamos, New Mexico (just north of Santa Fe) to design a nuclear weapon. Their research program, known as the “Manhattan Project,” resulted in the Trinity Test, the world’s first detonation of an atom bomb on July 16, 1945, in the desert northwest of Alamogordo, New Mexico. Less than a month later, the United States dropped two atom bombs over Japan, “Fat Man” and “Little Boy,” helping to end the war.
The Manhattan Project’s stakes were high. The information and technology developed in Los Alamos was coveted by many players in World War II, and security around the project was tight. Despite the top-secret measures, one of the biggest acts of espionage committed in U.S. history happened in an unassuming residential neighborhood in Albuquerque.
“The Spy House,” as it is known today, was built around 1912 near downtown Albuquerque. In 1944, it was purchased by W.B. Freeman and his wife, Margaret, with their extra rooms used as boarding rooms. The Freemans were approached with a rental offer of one of the upstairs suites by Ruth Greenglass, wife of David Greenglass, an engineer who was in New Mexico to work on the atomic bomb in Los Alamos. On June 2, 1945, David disclosed drawings of the atomic bomb to Soviet spy Harry Gold in exchange for $500 in that humble home.
The Spy House in Albuquerque today.
New Mexico’s nuclear legacy did not end with the Manhattan Project. Research into nuclear weapons, nuclear deterrence and energy technology continues at Los Alamos National Laboratories as well as at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque. Elsewhere in the state, decades of mining and testing left a long, dark shadow over the region. Today, those communities continue to tell their side of the story.
Where to Engage with Nuclear History in Albuquerque and Beyond
An exhibition inside the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History.
History buffs can observe Atomic Age artifacts at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque, a Smithsonian-affiliated museum. The museum is dedicated to exploring all uses of nuclear science, from weapons to energy production to medical technology, with exhibits on everything from Marie Curie’s discovery of radium to the future of nuclear power plants.
From Jan. 15-17, 2026, the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History hosts the Spyglass Festival. For three days, espionage enthusiasts of all ages can engage in family-friendly activities, documentary screenings and an exclusive panel talk with “great minds over great beer.” A highlight of the festival will be a book signing by Francis Gary Powers Jr., son of the U-2 spy pilot who was captured by the Soviet Union in 1960 during the Cold War. Ticket prices vary per day and event.
The Chinese Folk Dance Ensemble performs at the annual AAPI Heritage Festival. Photo courtesy of David Lienemann.
Each May, the museum holds its annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Festival. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History invites the community and local businesses in a day devoted to art, music and traditional cuisines. The festival was formed in an effort to not only acknowledge the trauma of the atomic bomb, but to celebrate the brilliant contributions of AAPI scientists, astronauts and educators. Past festivals hosted Hindu dance troupes, performances from Ha’Aheo O Hawai’i Hula, Chinese calligraphy demonstrations and treats provided by Talin Market.
White Sands National Park. Photo courtesy of the B. Powers and the National Park Service.
Albuquerque is your launchpad for New Mexico’s nuclear history. The Manhattan Project site can be visited in a day’s trip. The drive to Los Alamos from Albuquerque takes approximately 1.5 hours, and 3 hours round-trip. Open house visits for the Trinity Test Site are held annually in October; this year, plan your trip for Oct. 17, 2026. Explore the region's otherwordly environment and history at White Sands National Park. The drive to the park from Albuquerque is approximately 3.5 hours long, and 7 hours round-trip. On Sept. 5, 2026, the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe will open “Reclaiming the Future: The Legacy of Japanese American Incarceration,” featuring the works of Albuquerque-based artist and UNM instructor Patrick Nagatani, sculptor Ruth Asawa and emerging contemporary artists on the topics of World War II and the Atomic Age in New Mexico.
Patrick Nagatani, Trinity Site, Jornada Del Muerto, New Mexico. (from the series "Nuclear Enchantment"), 1989, silver-dye bleach print. Collection of the New Mexico Museum of Art, 1997.61.13.
When traveling, please be considerate to the living communities affected by this complicated legacy. New Mexico’s incomparable beauty is owed to the people who steward the land and its traditions. Learn more about New Mexico’s cultural landscapes at the National Hispanic Cultural Center and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. If you wish to explore some of New Mexico’s tribal lands, visit our resource guide for best practices in planning your visit.
