LAHM News:
The Los Alamos History Museum is proud to announce the opening of a new special exhibit, Secrets of Shangri-la: Enlisted Women at Project Y, which explores the often-overlooked contributions of enlisted women who served in Los Alamos during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project.
Please join us on March 10, 2026, for a special lecture featuring staff from the Los Alamos Historical Society Archives and Collections, who will share insights about the exhibit and the remarkable women it highlights. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. in Fuller Lodge, and the exhibit will be open for viewing immediately following the program.
During World War II, Los Alamos—known only by its code name, Project Y—became the central laboratory of the Manhattan Project, the top-secret effort to develop the atomic bomb. While scientists such as J. Robert Oppenheimer have become household names, hundreds of enlisted women also served on the isolated mesa. They operated in a community defined by secrecy, long hours, and strict military discipline—yet they also built friendships, organized social activities, and forged lives in one of the most unusual military postings of the war.
Drawing from the Los Alamos Historical Society’s Archives and Collections, the exhibit features letters, photographs, and personal artifacts that illuminate both the professional responsibilities and personal experiences of these women. Visitors will encounter stories of service in motor pools and laboratories, life in the WAC detachment, recreational events, and the challenges of living behind barbed wire in a place many called “Shangri-la.”
“This exhibit allows us to broaden the narrative of Project Y,” said Tina Moore at the Los Alamos Historical Society. “For too long, the story of Los Alamos has focused almost exclusively on scientists. By highlighting enlisted women, we recognize the essential military, technical, and administrative labor that made the mission possible. Their service was not peripheral—it was foundational.”
“The Los Alamos Historical Society Archives and Collections are so lucky to be the stewards of many collections from the families of these brave and dedicated women,” said Katy Jones-Gulsby, Archivist at the Los Alamos Historical Society. “Material from enlisted women and their experiences in Los Alamos during the war make up one of the most exciting broader collections in the archives, and we are excited to share more of that material with our visitors.”
Secrets of Shangri-la invites visitors to see Project Y through a wider lens—one that honors not only groundbreaking scientific achievement, but also the courage, professionalism, and resilience of the enlisted women who helped sustain it.
The Los Alamos Historical Society extends its sincere appreciation to Enterprise Bank and Trust for their generous sponsorship of the 2025–2026 Lecture Series and for their ongoing commitment to the programs and initiatives of the Historical Society.
We appreciate your continued support and look forward to seeing you on March 10!
To view lectures online, visit the Los Alamos Historical Society YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/@LosAlamosHistoricalSociety