Miss Atomic Bomb.
(Don English, Las Vegas News Bureau Collection, LVCVA Archive)
MISS ATOMIC BOMB EXHIBIT TO DEBUT INSIDE ATOMIC MUSEUM,
FRIDAY, JUNE 13
Exhibit Explores the Real Story Behind
One of the Atomic Age’s Most Iconic Images
The Atomic Museum announces the opening of its latest exhibit, “Miss Atomic Bomb: Icon of the Atomic Age,” on Friday, June 13. Presented in the museum’s Atomic Lounge & Gallery space, the exhibit invites visitors to explore the cultural phenomenon behind the iconic 1957 photograph and the groundbreaking discovery that finally uncovered the identity of the woman at its center.
As a result of more than two decades of research by Atomic Museum founding member and historian Robert Friedrichs, the exhibit reveals Anna Lee Mahoney of the Bronx, New York, as the woman portrayed in the famed image. Long misidentified and shrouded in mystery, Mahoney, who performed under the stage name Lee Merlin, was a Sands Hotel Copa showgirl chosen by the Las Vegas News Bureau to pose in a one-piece swimsuit adorned with a cotton mushroom cloud. The image, captured by Las Vegas News Bureau photographer Don English during Operation Plumbbob, would go on to become a defining symbol of the Atomic Age, capturing the unique convergence of Cold War science, spectacle, and mid-century Las Vegas entertainment.
Through captivating storytelling and a compelling collection of historical objects, “Miss Atomic Bomb: Icon of the Atomic Age“ examines the cultural significance of the photograph, as well as the context of its creation. Featured artifacts include:
- Photo-lab-index book featuring Don English’s signature.
- A handwritten letter and an autographed photo of Linda Lawson, actress, singer, and fellow Copa showgirl, renowned for posing with a mushroom cloud crown at poolside during the Atomic Age.
- A selection of Las Vegas News Bureau cameras, including a Falcon Deluxe miniature camera, three Rolleiflex cameras, a Graflex Graphic View camera, along with a film magazine and tripod.
- A 2005 issue of Las Vegas Weekly featuring cover model Candice Curtis remaking the iconic Miss Atomic Bomb photograph in recognition of the city’s centennial.
- The Killers’ “Battle Born” deluxe edition CD, featuring the track “Miss Atomic Bomb.”
- Celebrity Holly Madison’s Miss Atomic Bomb costume, worn during a photo shoot commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Las Vegas News Bureau.
“Few images embody the fusion of atomic history and Las Vegas culture like ‘Miss Atomic Bomb,'” said Joseph Kent, chief community officer and curator, Atomic Museum. “This exhibit honors not only the woman behind the image, but also the unique cultural moment she represents. Visitors will walk away with a deeper understanding of the time, place, and power of a single photograph to shape public memory.”
“Uncovering Anna Lee Mahoney’s true identity has been a deeply personal journey, driven by the desire to give credit and context to a woman who became an unwitting icon,” said Friedrichs. “This exhibit is about restoring her name to history and illuminating the wider story of a remarkable era.”
The exhibition will remain on view throughout the summer and is presented in collaboration with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Archive, which maintains the Las Vegas News Bureau’s historic collection.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit atomicmuseum.vegas.
ABOUT THE ATOMIC MUSEUM
The Atomic Museum is operated and maintained by its parent company, the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation (NTSHF), an IRS 501(c)3 charitable, non-profit organization chartered in Nevada. The Atomic Museum is one of more than 200 Smithsonian Affiliate organizations in nearly every state, plus Puerto Rico and Panama. Covering nuclear history beginning with the first test at the Nevada Test Site on January 27, 1951, the Atomic Museum’s exhibitions and programming also address current affairs related to the nuclear industry. For more information, go to atomicmuseum.vegas and follow on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter) and TikTok.