“Miss Atomic Bomb: Icon of the Atomic Age.”
(Photos Courtesy of Chris Wessling for Atomic Museum)
“MISS ATOMIC BOMB: ICON OF THE ATOMIC AGE” EXHIBIT
NOW OPEN AT ATOMIC MUSEUM
Exhibit Explores the Real Story Behind
One of the Atomic Age’s Most Iconic Images
The Atomic Museum now welcomes guests to its newest exhibit, “Miss Atomic Bomb: Icon of the Atomic Age.” Located 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 shrouded in mystery, Mahoney, who performed under the stage name Lee A. Merlin, was a Sands Hotel Copa showgirl chosen to pose in a one-piece swimsuit adorned with a cotton mushroom cloud. The image, captured by Las Vegas News Bureau photographer Don English before the start of 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.
- Original program from Don English’s celebration of life.
- Handwritten letter from Linda Lawson, actress, singer and fellow Copa showgirl, renowned for posing with a mushroom cloud crown poolside during the 1950s.
- Autographed photo of Linda Lawson.
- Cameras and other equipment used by Las Vegas News Bureau photographers.
- 2005 issue of Las Vegas Weekly featuring cover model Candice Curtis recreating the iconic Miss Atomic Bomb photograph in recognition of the city’s centennial.
- The Killers’ “Battle Born” 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.
“We’re committed to telling the full story of the Atomic Age, from science to spectacle,” said Joseph Kent, chief community officer and curator, Atomic Museum. “With this exhibit, we’re shining a light on the woman behind the headlines, and I couldn’t be more proud of how it all came together.”
“To see this exhibit come to life after more than 25 years of digging, documenting and discovery is surreal,” said Friedrichs. “I’m elated that Anna Lee Mahoney’s name and legacy now have a home at the Atomic Museum, where her story can finally be shared with the masses.”
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.