american museum of science & energy

AMSE as it is locally known is a great place to visit in East Tennessee. Nestled in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains the City of Oak Ridge itself is a historic monument of America's scientific power and superiority. There are a lot of interesting exhibits related to science. The museum documents the short history of the establishment of the three facilities that led to the creation of the Atom Bomb during World War two.

Went to this museum expecting to have just an okay time. Ended up having a blast! The exhibit on Oak Ridge during World War II is definitely the highlight as far as going to a very thorough museum exhibit went, but the upstairs was the most fun! There are lots of different machines that "freeze" your shadows and let you do other cool science tricks. Overall, fun and inexpensive day out! Also, don't forget to tour the house from the Oak Ridge WWII era that is outside (Accesible from a door in the museum), or use the giant disc "telephone" at the entrance.

There is lots to see and do at the museum. Take a walk through the past of Oak Ridge and try your hand with the experiments.

My daughter wanted to visit for her birthday. Studying Oak Ridge in school right now. She loved it as did my two sons.

This museum records the fascinating history and development of the "secret city" called Oak Ridge. In 1942 the city was developed as part of the Manhattan Project with 3 manufacturing plants constructed specifically to develop technology to end the war - The Atomic Bomb.... There are some good movies ( black and white and a bit scratchy but that's the time frame) that serve as an introduction. The museum has many interactive exhibits and activities that intrigue children of all ages. There are movie clips and memorabilia dating back to the city's inception. And provides background on the key players as well as the general population and their lives while living here. At its peak there were 75,000 people living in this guarded and "gated" community. The museum is well maintained and its design provides for easy flow from one area to the next. Knowledgable staff are on hand to answer questions but it is a self guided museum and most of your information will come from reading the literature and using interactive sites. You could easily spend a few hours here or a whole day. We actually ran out of time. It was well worth a visit and the admission price is only $5.oo so it's a real bargain :-)

Tells the story of the secret city, but sadly lacking in interactive activities for youth and a revenue generating gift shop filled with interesting merchandise. Highlight is outdoor modular house that built the town.

It has been about three years since I last visited this museum. While there are a lot of bells and whistles for the kids to tinker with (a number of which had been tinkered with a bit too much), the museum is worth the trip. Oakridge is a sort of mystic place, another Area 51 where work goes on around the clock to develop new sources of energy, weapons, and mysterious gadgets. There are probably more Phd's per mile here than any other place on earth? The community is very laid back with many modern and new buildings......thanks to all of the tax dollars pumped into the area. The staff at the museum were primarily volunteers. They were very helpful and friendly. If you are a member of a museum that is part of the Passport Program (such as COSI in Columbus, OH) you can get in for free by showing your membership card and an ID.

My husband and I visited the AMSE in December 2014 on the drive to Texas from Connecticut for the holidays. It was cold and gray, almost nobody around - the best time to make a museum trip. We stepped into the grand entrance which gave a broad view of the museum, with a giant picture of Einstein and a panoramic of the Oak Ridge site. We are in our sixties, having always wanted to visit one of the sites of nuclear development, a force for good or evil that so influenced the 20th century. From a purely historical point of view, the display outlined in simple terms the development scientifically of nuclear fission, the effect of the process on the community, the political influences - in other words, a good history lesson. This museum should be a destination for as many school children as can get on a bus. There is no moral condemnation, no religious influence, simply a point-by-point recitation of what happened when and why. Truly good history teaching.

Movie very old black and white. Would be nice if more current info was given. Most of the displays are from the late 90's. Only $5 to get in so not a complete waste of money. Younger kids will like the hands on displays.

The AMSE is tops for adults and children (great family attraction - something for everyone). This museum is owned by the US. Department of Energy and is a Smithsonian Affilate. This museum is so good that my children even use to volunteer their time to help with various displays, exhibits, presentations, etc. The attraction that most really like is the van de Graaf, it is a real "hair raising" event. The museum is an education as well as a fun place to go. It tells the history of Oak Ridge, about the prophet of Oak Ridge, about the Manhattan Project, and even about "Little Boy", in addition there is even a whisper dish. History, science, patriotism, interesting exhibits, "hands on things to do", as well as many things to see, and lectures to go to. A Great place to go--- Don't Miss It. Don't miss the gift shop either. I buy a lot of gifts there for adults and children. Go, have fun, and enjoy but don't miss. Your visit can last as long as you would like.

Me and my wife visited this museum on a "spur of the moment" vacation before starting back to school. We were not disappointed. Although I had visited the museum years ago, when I was still a child, this was my wife's first trip here. Since it had been so long since my last visit, the experience seemed new to me as well. From the minute you pull into the parking lot and approach the building there are sites and monuments to see. Once you get inside the museum, and pay the entrance fee, you can choose to branch out and start in any one of several different directions. Each one of the exhibits is amazing, and very informative, in its own right. Since my Grandfather was in World War 2 the exhibits concerning that time frame, and the incredible role Oak Ridge played in winning that war, were very interesting and important to me. I especially like the surviving "worker's house" that you can walk through and see set up like it would have been during the War. The areas that highlighted the present day work at Oak Ridge, and the exhibits concerning general scientific knowledge, were also very interesting and well laid out. If you are an art buff there are even works of art to marvel at in the museum. I also recommend watching a movie, or other show, in the theatre (included with admission). However, a word of warning is to pay very close attention to the announcement. Having visited numerous museums across the country I was not expecting a "movie" that was full length. Most places shoot for a 15 to 30 minute presentation at best, so when the announcement came on announcing the show I thought it said "a 15 minute film". In reality, however, it was a 50 minute film. Nevertheless, the film was very informative, educational, and enjoyable. It was well worth the 50 minutes spent watching it. In addition to the other exhibits, there was an outside "town" type exhibit that was closed during our visit. I am not certain if it was being updated or changed for the future or if this area is permanently closed. All in all I highly recommend this museum. Even if you think that the subject matter might not be your cup of tea, I would encourage you to give it a try anyway. You might be surprised how much you learn, and how much fun you have doing so!

I have always had an interest in Oak Ridge, as the secret city, and this was a great place to find out more about how the city came to be, due to the Manhattan Project. There were a huge amount of hands on activities for the kids and live demonstrations for everyone to see. Lots of stuff for the whole family.

We were vacationing in Gatlinburg, but we were looking for something other then all the usual touristy stuff and decided to make the trip to Oak Ridge and visit this museum. It was well worth the trip. We spent hours looking at all the exhibits. The upstairs area is mostly geared towards children so I'd say that this museum is good for all age groups. I'd recommend making the trip to see this and the price of admission makes it a bargain.

Visited this museum as a child, my Uncle Charles Horton, one of the first scientists when the projects were all top secret, guided us throughout. The history and scope of this entire "City" is a natural step for young minds to question the why of the science world. Couple the interest of the 'Blue Ridge' area and you have a destination stop.

We were visiting Oak Ridge in the fall so touring ORL was not an option. ASME was always on our list to see. I had forgotten about the "Secret City" that was built as part of the Manhattan Project since it is always about Los Alamos. I was fascinated by the historical information, both human & scientific that make up this well designed museum. There is something for everyone young & old. I am still in awe to think this facility was built in secret. A whole community existing, working & thriving during the Second World War together with the greatest scientific minds of the 20th century. It is a testament to American ingenuity & foresight that helped to end the war & ushered us into the atomic age. We were fortunate to have a real live physicist giving us the tour of the AMSE. I now have new reading to broaden my perspectives specially about calutrons.