The core mission of the Laboratory is national security. Scientific discovery and technology advances are pursued to ensure the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear deterrent, reduce the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and counter terrorism. In addition, a broad variety of Lab programs are aimed at solving national problems in the areas of defense, energy, environment, health and infrastructure.
Whether in the field of material science, biotechnology, physics, chemistry, advanced computing, or modeling of complex systems, it is difficult to conceive of a technology where Lab science has not played a role. Outstanding science is the intellectual underpinning of the Laboratory’s past and its future.
The technical areas of the Lab are not open to the public. However, the Laboratory’s Community Partnerships Office operates the Bradbury Science Museum in downtown Los Alamos, New Mexico, to provide a window into the history of the institution, its national security mission, and the broad range of exciting science and technology research to improve our nation’s future.