Reviews of EBR-1 (Tourist Attraction)

shawn yearsley

Amazing piece of forgotten history. Molten salt cooled breader reactor. Because of modern metallurgy and advances in control technology might be a viable technology in future reactors fueled by thorium. This site is a must see for any technology nerd, retro geek, or anyone interested in science or history. Great displays and and informative signage. Kid friendly and engaging.

Zachery Morgan-Owens

Super cool place, unexpected detour on the way home, worth stopping and spending about 40 minutes touring it

Alpha Utahn

It's a super cool place, the history is equally amazing. If you watch Chernobyl (on HBO) before going it makes It all that much more memorable.

Rich Aquilia

I didn't get to do the tour since there was a fire nearby. Was still cool and will give me an excuse to come back

Gary Wiener

Super cool! You must stop in when driving by. Who knew this was lost in the Idaho desert?!?! Do the tour. Amazing!

Karl Hussey

Very informative and interesting. A bit over my head, but worth the visit.

Victoria Rafa

An interesting record of early atomic research and use.

Chuck deSully

Very interesting history about nuclear power discoveries. Totally kicks you back in time when you walk in. You can either get a guided tour for an hour, or a self guided one at your own pace and it's free. Literally walk in to heavy concrete and thick lead glass experimental rooms and all the contraptions contained within and see the machinery they came up with to capture and deliver power. Totally off the beaten path, but follow the big signs. Very nostalgic. I was skeptical but so glad I did!

Karl Sickendick

Well worth the price and the drive.

Mark Tollefson

I has a great visit to this historical nuclear reactor. Good guided tour. Lots of information. Those with no interest in how technology developed will undoubtedly be bored, but I had a great time. Since it is an industrial type of facility, it is not handicap accessible in all areas. Self guiding tour is also very possible if you are not there near a scheduled tour time.

Hyrum Clark

I never knew I was so interested in nuclear technology!

Taylor Child

Best.

Wade Dorrell

Super cool. It'd be nice if they'd fix the signs on the fences around the nuclear aircraft engines in the parking lot: as of a couple years ago they were misleading about which HTRE is which. Based on INL documentation HTRE-1/2 is the one with the turbojets still attached (on the side with the locomotive) and the big vertical reactor cylinder, and HTRE-3 is one with the turbojets removed and the smaller horizontal cylinder up on top. The signs in the hut between the units are correct, but the signs on the fences contradict themselves and the others.

Mary Carter

Our tour guide was very informative and kept your attention. Answered all questions from our group.

Teddi Deppner

Top notch piece of American scientific history! The facility looks unassuming, but the inside is rich with information and accessible rooms for either a self-guided or guided tour. We came with Grandma and two teens, and there was plenty to explore, seating for if someone was done exploring before everyone else, two water fountains, and restrooms. A very comfortable facility. They let you take pictures of anything you see. The stories about the scientists and the very first nuclear-powered electricity event were very cool. Also cool that in the greater area, the company that currently owns EBR-1 continues doing nuclear power research (not nuclear weapons, but ways to use it to generate "peaceful power"). Neat stuff!

Spenser Arn

This is a neat place. I will preface this with this: I enjoyed this because I understand at a high level what this facility does. That being said, my kids would have been bored bored bored bored here. When we were here there were only 2 people total working here (that I was aware of/that I saw). The guided tours seemed to be pretty sporadic and happened when guests were there. We ended up going on a self guided tour because the next tour was some 30+ minutes away. Being out in the middle of no where we didn’t really want to wait. The facility was clean and the hand writing on the chalk boards was impeccable. The demos were pretty neat to look at. They have done a good job preserving the facility and keeping a lot of the equipment intact and really cool to be able to get that close to a nuclear reactor. Overall, it was a good one time visit. I don’t think I would ever need to return for a second visit, but if you like history and are nearby it would be something neat to stop by.

Randy Rees

It's cool !

Nicolas Van Tomme

Looked great from the outside but it was closed for no reason oops I mean for the season :)

Christie Collier

Our tour guide was FABULOUS! She knew her stuff and pointed out things and told stories I hadn't heard on a previous tour. Even without a guide, there is a self guided tour which is very informational and it just has a lot of cool stuff to see.

Carla Haupt

It was interesting... make sure to take a tour.

Andrea Lin

Pretty interesting for a road side attraction. Free admission. Be sure to get a guided tour! The tour guides are much more informative and quirky than the paper brochure for self-guided tours.

Joe B

An amazing exhibit. Tour guide - outstanding. An important historical landmark that more people should see. Do some research on EB-1 before you go . Don’t miss pushing the SCRAM button.

Susan Sakimoto

Well done self guided tour, and an excellent preserved control room where you can even try out the buttons. Don't miss the nuclear powered jet engine prototypes in the parking lot. Well worth the short diversion from the highway!

Joe Goff

It was pretty awesome! It was cool to understand the science behind everything and see the old equipment.

Bill Foppe

Stopped here for 45 minutes just before closing. Worth stopping for to learn about the pioneering of modern atomic energy. Quite something to seethe first nuclear reactor used to make electricity! (Although out of service)

That Local Pessimist

Informative and historically important.

Chad Hembree

Very interesting and a vital part of USA history.

Morgan Sandercock

One of the few national parks or landmarks that allows dogs inside the building.

Mike Tucker

I have a thirst for knowledge of anything scientific. The nerd side of me has to visit this fantastic museum several times a year. Great experience!

Nelson Barber

Great learning experience!

Jason Smith

We visited on 9-3-18. The place was cool, but the tour guide (I think her name was Katherine) was very rude to our kids. Most of the hands on displays are broken. I would recommend a self guided tour.

Forrest Gump

This is a must visit place if you are passing through! This was the scientist’s playground for figuring out how to safely generate electricity using nuclear reactors. This is an underrated peace of American history we can all be proud of. You will see the facility which is made into a museum. It has all the components of a nuclear power plant on a smaller scale but without the fuel.

James Brady

The place was so nerdy. Physics go!

Brad Cobo

Unexpected highlight of my trip. A definite must see. Staff was friendly, inviting and knowledgeable. Exhibits are very well done and virtually nothing is off limits so you can see the whole place. Admission is free. Thanks to the INL for making this available to the public. Our tax Dollars doing something really good for a change.

Debbie Reiter

Jordon led our tour and did a great job providing history. I enjoyed the tour and am glad this history is being preserved.

Clint Cox

Such a cool place. Lots of interesting history and very knowledgeable polite staff. Highly recommend.

Lenn Heighes

Gotta see where it all began. Great stories.

Montana Tech

The 46 high school scholars completely enjoyed this stop. The tour guides were fantastic; funny, entertaining and knowledgeable, willing to share their college and internship experiences. Perfect for a college preparatory program!!! Of the different museums our program visited this summer this was their favorite. The interactive activities and knowledge they gained was astounding.

chris andersen

A very interesting part of history. There is an additional tour you can take but it requires a background check. About 6 weeks or so to obtain

John Corso

Amazing piece of history

Mat Schatz

This place is an amazing slice of history and time. I've visited twice on a road trip just to make sure my son could see it.

Rosaura Ham-Su

Very informative and impressive and there is something of interest for allbage groups. There is enough space for kids to stretch their legs. It is worth the drive.

Jon Wetzel

Interesting story of historic al atomic energy

-Alt.Acc.Proxy -Alt.Acc.Proxy

EBR-1 is an incredible museum offering self-guided tours of the decommissioned research reactor, allowing visitors to walk through various areas of the facility including, but not limited to, the control rooms and reactor chambers of the nuclear plant. Informative displays can be found throughout the museum as well as helpful and knowledgeable staff members walking about the facilities, willing and able to answer any questions you may have related to the complex, the historical operations thereof, and the general history of nuclear power. It is definitely worth a visit!

ReInvented Relics

Really cool museum with a lot of Hands-On and interesting history.

Amanda Lee Smith

So much information. Great guided tour! You can easily spend a couple hours here. Shaded picnic tables available.

roger michelson

Big part of American history.

Clifford F

EBR-1 is an incredibly great historical place for those interested in nuclear technologies. I felt like a kid in a candy store. It was great!

Ádám Máté

As an electrical engineer, this National Monument is especially interesting to me! Although it's kind of in the middle of nowhere, but if you are driving in the area, you definitely should check out the very first nuclear plant... this is where the use of nuclear energy to generate electricity started roughly 50 years ago. The visitor center is cool, - interactive tours, clean restrooms, - and the staff is friendly.

Austin Schulz

EBR-1 is one of the coolest museums I have seen. Definitely worth the trip and I highly recommend this museum. Great place to bring kids.

Sandi Wahlberg

Loved it. Very intresting. Well described.

Samuel Conder

This place is super rad. It is out in the middle of nowhere but you should make the drive. It is an incredible museum and the guides are super knowledgeable. We went in the off season but we were still able to set up a tour. It took a little more planning but they were more than helpful in fitting us in on a day we could do it. So much fun and extremely interesting part of history.

BEN

Interesting place but it's only open after Memorial Day. You can take pictures before Memorial day and walk around a little bit but you can't go inside.

Jeff Harrits

A return visit (after about 4 years) and enjoyed this reactor museum as much, if not more than the first time. The "old" tech is certainly complex and fun to see. The view through the multi-paned glass interesting, and using the manipulator arm is always a challenge. Definitely worth the stop. (Note: the first time we visited, the outside temperature was high and we were able to bring our dog inside and take her on the self-guided tour with us. This time, fortunately it was cooler, since she is getting too old to negotiate all the stairs and we could leave her in our vehicle. However, if faced with a similar situation, be sure to inquire about having you dog join you inside.)

Ron Breedlove

We were thrilled to find this place. Didn't know it was here. Our tour guide, Elana was marvelous and gave a great tour of the museum. Kudos

William Bertwell

Very accessible piece of history. You can self guide a tour or follow a group with a knowledgeable guide. Lots of hands on exhibits as well as actual older used equipment. Good for younger kids as well as adults. This can take a long time if you want to go in depth.

Michael Stufflebeam

This is way more awesome then I'd thought it'd be. So much history preserved

Samuel Smith

Very interesting exhibit with hands on activities. Close to the main road so it is quick and easy access. They have free self guided tours or you can usually have some one walk you through. It is interesting to see 39 inches thick of glass that were used to keep the workers safe from the hot radiation. They have a mechanical hands exhibit you can try, but some people have been rough with it and only one out of the two were available.

Michael Scarlett

Wow! This is truly a historic site and worth some time exploring. To be able to walk around and see the very first nuclear reactor. You can play with manipulator arms that picked up radioactive material. While the ERB is maintained by the Idaho National Laboratory, it was deemed a National Historic Landmark by President Lyndon B. Johnson. If you have a National Parks Passport, be sure to bring it to get their special stamp.

Stephanie Davis

Hidden gem. What an amazing piece of American and Idaho's history! A must stop!My husband remembers coming here as a child for school field trips.

David Roberts

Fascinating display of this important experimental nuclear reactor. We were on the way from Craters of the Moon National Monument to Twin Falls when we saw it in the Rand McNally atlas. We did the self guided tour and learned a lot about breeder reactors. The display about EBR-2 was also very informative. Outside they have two reactors that were part of the testing for a revolutionary nuclear-powered jet bomber that was canceled before being built back in the early 60s as being overly expensive and not needed with the development of nuclear missiles and ballistic misssle submarines.

Ian Gillott

Unexpected museum in desert.

Carl Paukstis

Free! Wonderful self-guided walking tour, very well done. Just the right pace and right level of info. Logical and easy to follow the story.

Jeremy Powell

This is a pretty awesome museum with some great nuclear history. Many of the signs provide a lot of educational information. The experience would probably be boring for most children and pre-teen kids, but it would be cool for older teens, young adults, and some younger kids who are into nuclear stuff.

Charles Parks

Significant historical value. Great exhibit

George Maxwell

Very well cared for view of the first nuclear power. Provides a lot of educational detail without becoming over technical. A solid hour is enough time here.

Missy Welsh

Very cool place to visit and learn the real information about nuclear technologies and the sad political decisions by the Clinton administration to hamper true progress while using myths to fear monger the public while continuing to line their own wealthy pockets from abroad.

Jordan Mendler

Pretty cool. Worth the stop if you're nearby and like this kind of stuff

Beth Ann Pillen

Closed for the winter, otherwise I probably would have given it 5 stars. The outside displays had great info boards about early nuclear testing and developing uses for the energy.

Daniel Stiplosek

A piece of world history! It's small size seemingly in the middle of nowhere belies its importance. It's really cool to see; it feels like you're stepping back in time. Playing with the "robotic arms" was definitely a highlight.

Andrew and Morgan McAllister

Fascinating museum. Pretty sure we read everything here.

Jared McLean

This is a GREAT place for a quick visit. Interesting and informative - and the tour guys have such a great knowledge of the topic!

Dennis Nyman

Gota see this place. Not far from main road and very interesting.

Aurora Ios

It is really cool that you can walk though and look at an actual reactor and learn about its history

Zackasaurus Rex

Really interesting place to visit... especially because it's free. We took the guided tour and it was awesome! Our guide was very friendly and informative. EBR-1 is an old, decommissioned, nuclear reactor. Actually, it's the first (real) nuclear reactor. A very cool place to visit on your way to Craters of the Moon National Monument.

Ron DeRoest

Very cool place to visit.

Kevin Curtis

A great place to learn about the beginning of Nuclear power, which should be our future.

Ryan Carney

Found this place accidentally. Absolutely fascinating!

4Runner Steve

I was driving down the highway and saw the sign for EBR-1 and was pleasantly surprised to find such an interesting and historic place out in the middle of nowhere. As a Cold War history enthusiast I thoroughly enjoyed walking around taking the self-guided tour and learning about the birthplace of nuclear powered electricity. It's obvious why they picked such a remote location so as not to cause a major disaster in case of an accident like they did when the nuclear jet engine spewed radioactive exhaust during testing that contaminated 20,000 acres.

Michael McMahon

Great history

C Newton

Amazing US history made here, but not generally known to public. Great place for family, particularly teenagers.

Glenn Roth

Educational experience - gives good understanding of breeder reactor history and technology.

Rodney Frank

Cool place if you like history.

Jim Jernigan

For those that don't know ... Nuclear Power generation started in Idaho in the 1950s. This non-descript structure in the desert of south-east Idaho houses the first nuclear reactor. Interesting history, great stop!

Hal W

This is so very interesting! I learned a lot & will stop more times to learn more!

Gregory Freeman

This museum is very cool. Recommend for entire family.

Gail Becker

A fascinating look at the first Experimental Breeder Reactor. Interesting history.

Karlie Hansen

This is the first nuclear reactor to give nuclear power. They turned it into a fun museum. If you want to learn more about nuclear power, this is a great place to go. I learned a lot in a fun way. They also have fun activities for kids. I would come here again!

Sebastian Valmont

A great historical landmark that's worth stopping by, because it's free and about an hours worth of touring! Only open between Memorial and Labor Day.

Ernest

The plant machines are impressive. The tour is informative and educational.

Brian Daley

Interesting place. Good education on the beginnings of nuclear power.

Mike Vorachek

Excellent piece of history!

Karl Putland

Great but of history. Only had one hour could have spent two.

Heather Armstrong

The first Experimental Breeder Reactor and nuclear energy! What a wonderful way to learn history.

Teresa Simpson

Learned so much!

Kevin Riley

Historical, free attraction in the Idaho desert. It's kinda out of the way, but I think it's worth it. There's lot's of interpretative panels to learn about the history and interactive parts too. My favorite is the control room where you can press ALL THE BUTTONS. The manipulator arms are fun to play with too (if it isn't broken), they are non-electrical mechanical robot arms that are used to do tests of radioactive materials while the scientist looks through a window outside the hazardous, radioactive room.

Bob Gaiser

Where the First Nuclear Reactor produced electricity.

eduardo jawerbaum

First nuclear power reactor turned into a museum. Excellent!

DiLLuZioNz

Very fun its a really good place to learn about nuclear reactors and how they work

Beth Moonfang

The world's first nuclear power plant makes for a real interesting museum, and it has lots of pokestops. Somehow the combination leaves me feeling completely satisfied every time I visit.

Rick Mongold

Great museum. Very interesting and informative. Will visit again.

Janine J

Did not get to go in, everywhere I get in Idaho it's too late. This was a really cool place. It was the first nuclear reactor in the United States. They have an information kiosk, that tells all about it. You can look all over it's just really cool. And if you Ingress there's three or four portals up there. It would be really cool to get there to go through it. Next time hopefully.

Lucy Potter

A really interesting museum. Lots of stuff to touch (knobs and things) and robot arms! it also sparked an hour long conversation about renewable energy in my car on the way out :)

Brandon Biggs

Amazing piece of history.

Aaron Allison

This place was really cool, and not an expected stop on our trip. If you find yourself in the middle of nowhere Idaho, and see the signs I recommend stopping and seeing a bit of history. You won't be disappointed

Brett Clyde

An interesting piece of history and a pretty great opportunity to see how nuclear power works.

Joshua Lovell

Amazing to wander around inside, poke at the control panels, and see the gloveboxes where waste was handled. It's been thoroughly decontaminated, I brought my own geiger counter for laughs and found nothing over background levels.

Greg M

We were driving through the area and saw the sign and had to stop out of curiosity ... and we are very glad we stopped. We spent about an hour touring this site (self guided tour option with brochure to explain the facility and history) and I had no idea there was a nuclear reactor in Idaho so early in the beginnings of nuclear development. We knew a little of reactors before, but this site is so educational and gives you a good walk through of an actual decomissioned reactor that we would have driven out of our way to visit this site. I'd recommend anyone passing through the area to visit this site. I thought our kids might be bored, but they really enjoyed the stop too.

Dana Bucher

Fascinating place. Definitely for children in upper elementary and up. As a nuclear science family, it was very cool to see!

p p

A must see if your an engineer or geek.

Mary Kay Weidner

Fascinating and worth a stop.

Alex Crawford

What a cool place to see and understand nuclear history.

Al Nelson

As a former Navy Nuc it was part of our nuclear history and very interesting.

John Perkins

Great educational experience. Well worth the effort to see it.

Leader2light

Amazing out of the way landmark. The dawn of a new age.

Bill Eastman

Awesome if you are a nerd or history nut (or both like me) Good tour guide. Would have liked an intro video with more history and the science of breeder reactors and this reactor's place in history

Weston Gray

Great example of our nation's history and in excellent historical condition.

Matthew Heckmann

Amazing tour, fantastically preserved breeder reactor. Very cool to get to be so close to an actual reactor core, and to see how these brilliant engineers achieved atomic power generation for the first time. If you’re in the area, be sure to stop by!