Bradbury Science Museum
The story of the bomb and the lab, free.
Los Alamos and Bandelier
The secret wartime town where Oppenheimer's team built the bomb, beside Bandelier's cliff dwellings.
The Manhattan Project's scientists worked on a remote mesa from 1943. Its small history museum and Bradbury Science Museum tell the story. Nearby Bandelier has ladders up into cave dwellings carved from soft rock.
- Best Time
- May–June and September–October
- Time Needed
- 1 day
- Cost Level
- $$$$
- Open
- Check before you go; hours vary by season
- Getting There
- About 45 minutes by car from Santa Fe.
What to See
2 of 3 are freeBandelier National Monument
Climb ladders into ancient cliff rooms.
Manhattan Project Sites
Fuller Lodge and Bathtub Row, on walks.
Know Before You Go
- The town sits at 7,300 feet. Bandelier may require a shuttle in summer.
Where to Stay
A day trip from Santa Fe.
Where to Eat
Our picks are on the way.
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Traveler Reviews
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Go Next
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Adobe buildings, galleries on Canyon Road and New Mexico's green-chile cooking.
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Worth a DetourTaos Pueblo
New Mexico
A multi-story adobe village, continuously lived in for about 1,000 years by the Taos people, and a World Heritage Site.
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If You're NearbyOak Ridge
Tennessee
A secret city built in 1942 to enrich uranium for the atomic bomb, now part of the Manhattan Project park.
Full Guide
Last checked 2026-11-02. Part of the Southwest list.