As one likes to say on GoT "I drink and I know things." Now I have a bit of random history regarding the EBR-1 and the first nuclear powered city! While I knew of Idaho National Laboratory, I was not familiar with this awesome free museum or our nations first nuclear reactor and the small town down the road that was the first to have all electricity supplied from a nuclear power plant! They have done an amazing job maintaining the reactor as a museum and have both a guided or self guided tour to enjoy learning a bit more about EBR-1. This is off the beaten path and I stumbled on it while I was going to see Craters of the Moon National Park. It was just a short way off the highway and couldn't pass up the opportunity to check it out, what's a little time when already well off the beaten path in this part of Idaho?! Small parking lot out front, bathrooms on second floor. There are a number of stairs to get to the top of the reactor and then down into the basement to check out the bottom to consider if traveling with limited mobility guests. If you are in the area, definitely worth checking out this bit of history! read more

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This was a really interesting stop! We added it to our road trip list of places because it was dog friendly. The staff there was very laid back and kind when we arrived and the history of the site is explained in a pretty engaging way. You can download your own walking tour if you want to listen to the audio, which we did and found it very helpful. I would liken it to alcatraz's self -guided tour. I really appreciate it when they use storytelling to kind of bring locations to life. It's amazing how groundbreaking this place was in the development of a nuclear power and the exhibits are all really well put together in educational without being too scientific or overwhelming. It was really neat and informative and it is definitely worth a stop if you're passing through. read more

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Visiting EBR-1 was such a fun experience!! We didn't do the guided tour, but the gal was super helpful and sweet. There were some in our group that weren't sure they would enjoy it, but they had a blast looking around and getting immersed in the science and history of EBR-1. EBR-1 is the world's first nuclear power plant, and in December of 1951, it became the first power plant to produce usable electricity - eventually producing enough electricity to fully light the facility. Experimental Breeder Reactor-1 stopped producing nuclear power in 1963, and in 1966 it was declared a National Historic Landmark. I would totally recommend visiting EBR-1! It is lots of fun for all ages :) 10/10 read more

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In the middle of the wilds of Idaho is a science nerd's paradise. We spent about 1.5 hours at the EBR-1 museum, but could have explored longer. Kid-friendly, accessible on the main level. read more

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First nuclear power plant! They open memorial day weekend and close labor day weekend so make sure you are in that window before planning this. This museum is free! You can either do the guided tour or the free tour, which is awesome. The self tour has a pamphlet so you don't miss anything big. The building and equipment is well maintained. They give history and explain how everything works. They also explain the science behind how nuclear power works in laymen terms. They also have the first light bulb that was lighted by nuclear power displayed there. Super cool stop. If you do the guided tour, they said it would take 30-45 minutes. read more

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EBR-1 is a former nuclear reactor seemingly in the middle of nowhere in the middle of a 50's brick building... however it's of great significance as the first nuclear reactor to power a city! Inside the EBR-1, all the hardware and rooms of the reactor remain intact (except unhooked to the reactor obviously) and there is a self guided tour where you can take a brochure or download an app that will audioguide you through the building. There are replicas of things like the core/control rods, but also things that lie about or are illustrated to show scientific principles of nuclear fission. What makes this building unique is that it was the first nuclear power plant, and more importantly "breeder reactor" that made nuclear power feasible. Overall I give it a 5 out of 5, the museum is as good as it gets to show you a retired nuclear power plant and early nuclear experiments (safely that is ). It can be interactive with a few things and it's always fun to squeeze into a tight corridor or spin some old knobs. The staff is friendly too. I am not sure if INL gives more tours than this... but it was a great detour for us! read more

Excellent preservation and display of an historic reactor. I'm quite surprised and pleased they managed to preserve so much. The site has good signage and helpful tour guides, although with my knowledge of reactors I did the self-tour. If you look at everything, you'll need at least an hour here. You'll also want to go over to the two HTR aircraft reactors outside. Amazing contraptions. And it's free! read more

Experimental Breeder Reactor 1 - SCRAM button - Tours Near Me - Arco, Idaho

Learned so much about nuclear history snd power generation. Great tour guide. A must see.

For those that don't know me (which I assume is all of you,) I am a big fan of nuclear history. One of my life goals is to go to the Trinity test site in New Mexico when they do their biannual tour. So when I heard that the first nuclear reactor for electricity generation was about an hour from Craters of the Moon, I knew I had to go out of my way to visit. Keep in mind, this museum is only open between Memorial Day and Labor Day, which I barely made (I went the day before Labor Day.) The museum is free, and they give you a pamphlet to give yourself a tour. Everything is well marked and documented, and is great for a history nerd such as myself. The preservation is spectacular, and I'm glad that they were able to keep so much from the early nuclear era. read more

EBR-1 is a crowd pleaser without crowds. A solitary outpost in the middle of a blasted desert, EBR-1 doesn't look like much, and the site's considerable historic value may not be enough to persuade tourists to make the desolate drive. This is the world's first operational nuclear power plant, housing the first nuclear reactor to generate usable amounts of electricity (albeit only enough to light up the small nuclear plant building) and the one of the first in the US to go into meltdown (albeit very very small meltdown). It's obvious that EBR-1 doesn't see too many visitors, but that hasn't stopped its curators from putting together a surprisingly fun, informative, and - yes - child-friendly tribute to the early days of nuclear power. The urge to play Homer Simpson inside an ex-nuclear plant is strong, and EBR-1 lets you indulge your blue-collar atomic fantasies with hands-on control panels and plutonium sorters (can YOU pick up the highly radioactive metal chunk with the arcade-style crane grabber without dropping it and killing everything within a 20-mile radius?). Tap dance on the reactor hatch, they don't care. New exhibits offer an easy-to-understand layman's version of the workings inside a nuclear plant. There's even a display of cool 50s furniture by the front entrance to put you in an atomic mood. Although "EBR-1 tour guide" may be one of the loneliest jobs in Idaho, the staff are friendly and ready to answer questions. For a free attraction in the middle of nowhere, EBR-1 packs in considerable entertainment value. My only complaint is that they don't have any souvenirs for sale. Surely a few well-traveled cars with "I had a PARTIAL MELTDOWN at EXPERIMENTAL BREEDER REACTOR 1!" stickers plastered across their bumpers would help convince a few more tourists to take the dusty trip out to this unheralded roadside gem. read more

Experimental Breeder Reactor 1 - Sign for EBR-1 - Tours Near Me - Arco, Idaho

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IF you are in the area (a highly unlikely IF) you need to stop and check out a piece of American history. There are actually quite a lot of interesting exhibits to occupy your time. How many other nuclear reactors can you visit??? What else are you going to do this far from nowhere??? While here you can walk through the actual reactor building, touch the reactor equipment including the fuel rod remote control arms, and attend lectures on the history and functioning of the reactor. We found ourselves spending a couple of hours there! Make sure you visit Atomic City while you are in the middle of nowhere. read more

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This place is an amazing part of history for the US and it is hidden away in Idaho in the middle of a LOT of open space. The reactor, the information and the people are all top notch and they tell a story that must be heard by all. It is a look at how reactors are put together and what it takes to make good nuclear power. This place should be required learning for all who to often rely on what I would call questionable sources (the media). If you are ever within a few hundred miles of this place go there and learn and you will be amazed! read more

Excellent stop and free to boot. I was born and raised in Seattle proper and drive a Tesla. Maybe it's the Simpsons or populist environmental sound bytes, but I noticed I've been programmed to believe nuclear was bad for the environment. This museum does an excellent job at elucidating the mechanics behind nuclear energy. It leaves you on a hopeful note with the EBR-II improvements. However, I don't think this museum allowed enough of its opposition to speak. I'll continue to research as many perspectives as I can to come to my own conclusions. Right now, the conclusion I can make for sure is that this is a well illustrated piece of American history. (Also, loves the bit on the Stranger Things series on the TV near stop 11). read more

I'd like to preface this review by stating that I am Homer Simpson. I'm writing this review while slacking off from job at a Nuclear Power Plant. (No, I'm really not kidding about that.) So my review might be a tad bit biased. EBR-1 is a great stop for the science folks who want to get up close and personal with something nuclear without getting super secret government clearance and a healthy green glow. The tour was informative of the history of nuclear power and interactive with little things to see and play with. Be sure to ask what a "SCRAM" is and the folklore behind the word for a neat piece of nuclear trivia. read more

Can't say positive or negative, because even though every website said the museum would be open., it was closed. Saw a sign near the entrance stating only open memorial day till labor day. Bummed. read more