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National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

In Focus: The Gun Site

The Gun Site at Los Alamos

Over the past few months, the Atomic Heritage Foundation has worked with the Los Alamos National Laboratory and private donors to preserve the Gun Site — a historic building where the “Little Boy” bomb was assembled. Most notably, AHF has found a donor willing to fund a significant portion to completely restore the property. President Cynthia C. Kelly will travel to Los Alamos, NM the week of April 18th to discuss the next steps for preservation and further garner support for the preservation efforts.  

In 2006, the Atomic Heritage Foundation led the effort to preserve the V-Site, the property where the “Gadget” tested at Alamogordo, NM was designed and assembled. Through the “Save America’s Treasures” grant, Manhattan Project properties at Los Alamos received $700,000 for preservation and the site was completely restored. Today, the V Site remains ready to be incorporated into a Manhattan Project National Historical Park pending approval from Congress and transmittal of recommendations for the park from the Department of Interior. 

Both the Gun Site and the V Site connect us to the “galaxy of luminaries” recruied by J. Robert Oppenheimer to build the world’s first atomic bombs. AHF will continue working to preserve these important and historic buildings.