text: You may ask Who goes to Las Vegas to check out a museum nnWell I do nnIm neither a tourist nor a drunk nor a gambler and getting drunk and screaming WOOHOO VEGAS and trolling for hookers and cheap buffets is not my idea of a good time When I travel I am looking to learn about the history of the place and explore its beauty and it is people nnThat being said if you are like me and not impressed by all of the typical Las Vegas stuff there is still lots to see and do nnEnter the Atomic Testing Museum nnMany people may not know that just miles to the north is the Nevada Test Site and just beyond that is the famed Area The Nevada Test Site was the location of hundreds of nuclear tests dating all the way back to the start of Americas nuclear weapons program in the early s nnBelieve it or not before there were casinos hookers and Wayne Newton people use to come to Las Vegas to watch the nuclear tests from a safe distance Yes nuclear weapons testing was the tourist attraction nnThe Atomic Testing Museum has many exhibits and films detailing the history of Las Vegas the Nevada Test Site and our nuclear weapons program as a whole The place is incredible and I can only imagine how amazing it must have been to see this stuff in its day nnWhat really amazed me was a nuclearpowered rocket engine that is housed in the museum Yes we had nuclearfueled rocket engines and they actually ran In fact President Kennedy saw one run The program was canceled and none were put into service but seriously how amazing is that nnCall me a nerd or whatever but this place is awesome If you are into history and such there is LOTS to do in the Las Vegas area when you get tired of drinking gallonsized drinks and gambling away your mortgage nnYou absolutely have to check out the Atomic Testing Museum words cannot describe how incredible it is