Manhattan Project Era Cafeteria

Manhattan Project Era Cafeteria. Los Alamos Historic District Walking Tour. One of the few remaining World War II-era buildings in Los Alamos, the Performing Arts Center (PAC) was originally built as the East Cafeteria, serving members of the military during the Manhattan Project. The Los Alamos community often struggled to find entertainment, isolated as it was atop the mesa surrounded by fences, secrecy, and wartime restrictions. The Los Alamos Little Theatre group formed in 1943 in an effort to stave off boredom. Its first production, "Arsenic and Old Lace," featured Laboratory Director Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer as one of the corpses. In 1971, the performing troupe secured permanent headquarters in this wartime cafeteria, and its legacy continues today. Owned and maintained by Los Alamos County, the PAC has hosted Los Alamos Little Theatre performances for over 75 years., Below: The East Cafeteria exterior in 1946. (photo county Los Alamas Historical Society) Right top to bottom: The East Cafeteria being used during the Manhattan Project, Santa Claus at the cafeteria turned recreation hall in 1956 (photos courtesy LANL) Los Alamos Little Theater production "Death of a Salesman" in 1963. (photos courtesy LA Little Theater), Pick up a copy of the Historical Walking Tour Guide at the Los Alamos History Museum, Bradbury Science Museum, Los Alamos Nature Center, any of the Visitor Centers, or one of the visitor guide kiosks around town. Download one by scanning the QR code, or go to visitlosalamos.org.