Do you remember “duck and cover” drills at school? Did you shiver at the sight of giant mutant ants in the classic film THEM? Perhaps you rushed through a box of cereal so that you could send off the box top and get your very own Lone Ranger Atomic Bomb Ring. Maybe you remember being both really scared during the Cuban Missile Crisis and really entertained by the crazy characters in Dr. Strangelove. Perhaps you’re way too young to remember the 1950s, but you love “retro” fashions and home décor. Maybe you were still a youngster during the frightening events of September 11, 2001, and you wonder if young people in earlier times ever had to live with threats like the fear of terrorist attack.
Whether you are a Baby Boomer who remembers the early atomic age or a younger person who is curious about that time, a new traveling loan exhibit at the North Berrien Historical Museum will be sure to please. “The Life Atomic: Growing Up in the Shadow of the A-Bomb” will open April 1, 2010 and remain on view through May 15, 2010.
Today American citizens find themselves threatened with the possibility of harm at the hands of foreign terrorists. But fifty years ago, at the height of the Cold War, Americans lived under another kind of threat – global thermonuclear war. However, the atomic bomb inspired more than fear. The bomb also influenced virtually every aspect of American popular culture. Movies, books, home fashions, and even toys reflected a society that came to terms with life in the atomic age.
“The Life Atomic” illustrates the impact of the atomic bomb on everyday life through photographs and objects, in ways both serious and light-hearted. From civil defense warnings to B-movie posters and “atomic” toys, “The Life Atomic” shows the many ways the bomb influenced life in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Exhibit panels focus on the development of the bomb, early atomic testing in the American Southwest, civil defense preparations, fallout shelters, the influence of the bomb on movies and television, “atomic” toys and games, and the impact of the bomb on home décor. Visitors can explore the inside of a typical home fallout shelter as they listen to civil defense public service announcements. They also can watch a variety of civil defense films, including the 1951 classic Duck and Cover featuring the ever-prepared Bert the Turtle.
The Atomic Age brought two nuclear power plants to Southwest Michigan, which power homes and businesses across the region. Local artifacts and information from museums across the region will supplement the exhibit.
The North Berrien Historical Museum is located at 300 Coloma Ave, across from Coloma High School in Coloma, Michigan. For more information visit www.northberrienhistory.org.
“The Life Atomic” was developed and is traveled by the Rogers Historical Museum, Rogers, Arkansas. This project was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas.
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