Los Alamos, the city in New Mexico known for being the testing site of the atomic bomb, is poised to become a major attraction for tourists interested in morbid history. The release of the movie Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan and based on the life of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, has generated global interest in this remote settlement. Los Alamos, created as the center for the Manhattan Project, which developed the nuclear bombs responsible for the devastating deaths of over 220,000 people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, features prominently in Nolan’s film. As a result, many visitors are expected to flock to the city to witness the locations depicted in the movie firsthand, contributing to the trend of “morbid tourism,” where people visit places associated with death or tragedy.
One notable location in the film is the Trinity Site, where the first test bomb was detonated. The U.S. Army, which manages the site located in Southern New Mexico on the White Sands Missile Range, has already cautioned fans that the limited open days at this location are likely to be overcrowded due to increased interest. The Trinity Site, where the “Gadget” test bomb exploded on July 16, 1945, is accessible to the public only twice a year. This year, the site will be open in October, with another opening scheduled for April 2024. The Army’s official website warns potential visitors about expected long wait times, stating that only the first 5,000 visitors will likely gain entry before the gate closes at 2 p.m.
The Trinity test explosion, famously dubbed “brighter than a thousand suns,” marked the beginning of the atomic age and left an indelible visual image of destruction in the form of the mushroom cloud. The Trinity Site now features a monument to commemorate this historic event. Additionally, in Los Alamos, bronze statues of Dr. Oppenheimer and General Leslie Groves, played by Cillian Murphy and Matt Damon, respectively, stand as tributes in a city park. Visitors can also explore the Los Alamos National Laboratory, established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project.
Other notable locations on tourists’ must-see lists include the Los Alamos Ranch School, where the children of the scientists involved in the Manhattan Project received their education, and Fuller Lodge, the home where J. Robert Oppenheimer resided with his family from 1943 to 1945. During the filming of Oppenheimer, director Nolan and the star-studded cast, including Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr, visited Los Alamos in March 2022 to capture scenes at various significant sites, such as Fuller Lodge, the Civilian’s Women’s Dormitory, and the United Church.
As of 2023, Los Alamos has a population of approximately 13,000 and gained city status in 1969.
[Source: Mailonline]
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