Touring The Trinity Test Site

A glimpse into the history of the start of the atomic age.
Karin Heineman, Executive Producer

It was here in the middle of the desert, in what is now the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico -- that the world's first atomic bomb was tested and exploded on July 16,1945. 

Now, the test site, called Trinity, is a national tourist attraction, open to the public just two days a year – in April and October. There are not many artifacts left to look at, but for history buffs or anyone interested in seeing where the start of the atomic age took place – visitors can walk around the site.

The Trinity site open house, normally held in April, was cancelled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is uncertain if the second open house will take place this October. This video offers a small glimpse into the history of Trinity.


For more stories, videos and infographics related to Inside Science's coverage of the far-reaching ways that the Manhattan Project influenced science and society, visit our page: Seventy-Five Years After Trinity.

Author Bio & Story Archive

Karin Heineman is the executive producer of Inside Science TV.