This is a museum has a very comprehensive display of the secret work which went on at Oakridge in Knoxville during the war for research into nuclear bombs as part of the Manhattan Project. It seemed amazing to us that a complete town could be built and the secrets it was working on were not revealed. One of the prefab style houses the staff lived in has been preserved in the museum grounds.
It was originally named the American Museum of Atomic Energy and showed many peaceful uses of atomic energy. It has now been renamed and also includes other science exhibits – many of them “hands on”. The Exploration Station area offers activities which explore light and color, sound, problem-solving, static electricity, robotics, vision etc – good for both adults and children. There is a large car park and admission is under £3 for seniors. The website is http://amse.org.