Scenes From Oppenheimer Were Filmed At These 5 Locations In New Mexico
By Melissa Mahoney|Published September 18, 2023
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Melissa Mahoney
Author
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and I love photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world! Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream.
As someone who worked for many years in the entertainment industry, I’m a sucker for a good story, incredible acting, set design, and film locations. When Oppenheimer hit the theaters, I couldn’t wait to go. This Christopher Nolan-directed flick did not disappoint! From start to finish, I was utterly mesmerized and completely impressed with the caliber of acting including Cillian Murphy’s depiction of J. Robert Oppenheimer, theoretical physicist and head of the Manhattan Project’s Laboratory in Los Alamos during WWII. Oppenheimer played an integral role in the development of the atomic bomb. I also enjoyed seeing many of the places I had visited on past trips around New Mexico. Here are five Oppenheimer film locations in New Mexico:
Part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, the Oppenheimer House is where Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer lived during his tenure as the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory. He lived here with his wife and children from 1943-1945. Before it became housing for the Manhattan Project, this home served as the Los Alamos Ranch School.
Those who were working on the Manhattan Project but were not in the military lived in the Civilian Women's Dormitory. Those who lived here during that time were provided linens and three meals a day. It is also part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park.
3. Fuller Lodge
Fuller Lodge Art Center, 2132 Central Ave, Los Alamos, NM 87544, USA
Fuller Lodge once served as the dining hall for the Los Alamos Lodge School. During the time of the Manhattan Project, it then served as lodging for scientists who came to town to help with the project as well as a dining and event hall.
4. Lamy Train Station
Lamy Station, 152 Old Lamy Trail, Lamy, NM 87540, USA
Those who were headed to Los Alamos would take the train to the Lamy Train Station. Visitors arriving at the station would then take a shuttle to 109 E. Palace where top-secret clearance was given and they would continue their journey to Los Alamos. This train station was built in 1909 for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway.
Ghost Ranch is where the main Los Alamos set for Oppenheimer was built. The property here is a whopping 21,000 acres which is more than enough space to build an epic movie set!
Have you been to any of these Oppenheimer film locations? Have you seen the movie yet? Tell us your thoughts in the comments. For more information on filming in New Mexico, visit The State of New Mexico Film Office website.
