Nuclear Tourism
Atomic testing tourism in Las Vegas was a bizarre but fascinating chapter in the city’s history. In the 1950s, the U.S. government began conducting nuclear tests at the nearby Nevada Test Site, located about 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. These atomic blasts became an unexpected tourist attraction.
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Between 1951 and 1962, the Nevada Test Site hosted nearly 100 atmospheric nuclear tests. The tests were visible from Las Vegas, with mushroom clouds often towering into the sky, accompanied by brilliant flashes of light and, later, the rumbling shockwaves that could be felt in the city. Las Vegas embraced the atomic tests as part of its image, coining itself as the "Atomic City." Hotels and casinos promoted "atomic" events, offering atomic-themed parties where patrons could gather on rooftops to watch the explosions. It became common to hold "dawn parties," where people would wake up early to watch the tests over breakfast cocktails.
Tourism boomed as people traveled to Vegas specifically to witness these nuclear blasts. Some hotels even advertised themselves as having "atomic views," and guides were distributed to help tourists plan the best vantage points to see the tests safely from a distance.
Atomic cocktails and Atomic hairdos became trendy in the 1950s. Bars and lounges created drinks inspired by the atomic tests, and women styled their hair in voluminous, mushroom cloud-like bouffant. The city's branding and marketing leaned into the "futuristic" allure of nuclear power, portraying it as part of the excitement and progress that defined the mid-20th century. Vegas’s role as a destination for atomic tourism epitomized the strange blend of glamour, danger, and spectacle that made the city unique.
One of the most iconic images associated with atomic tourism in Las Vegas is that of the "Miss Atomic Bomb", a title created during the atomic testing craze. The most famous image is of showgirl Lee A. Merlin, taken in 1957, wearing a mushroom-cloud-shaped cotton outfit. The photo of Merlin, smiling and striking a playful pose while adorned with the mushroom-cloud costume, is a striking mix of mid-century optimism, kitsch, and the darker undertones of nuclear weapons testing. The Miss Atomic Bomb photo became an enduring symbol of this peculiar moment in Las Vegas history, capturing the blend of entertainment, danger, and American post-war fascination with the power of the atom.​
In 1963, the Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed, ending atmospheric nuclear testing. The Nevada Test Site continued to conduct underground nuclear tests until 1992, but the era of Las Vegas as a hub for atomic tourism largely ended with the treaty.
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Today, the legacy of atomic tourism is remembered through exhibits at places like the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas, where visitors can learn about the city’s atomic past and the strange mix of glamour and fear that defined this unique era.
