National Atomic Testing Museum and Cold War jokes

The National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas documents the history of nuclear weapons testing at the nearby Nevada Test Site and related Cold War-era activities. Exhibits include declassified films, artifacts, and displays about above-ground and underground tests that were visible from Las Vegas in the 1950s and 1960s. Locals have long made lighthearted jokes about the city’s connection to atomic testing-ranging from novelty souvenirs to quips about irradiated cocktails-while the museum presents the factual history and public health context. The museum operates as an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.