Contacting the Atomic Heritage Foundation
The Atomic Heritage Foundation (AHF) will be closing our offices at the end of June, and are no longer responding to inquiries regarding our websites, veterans’ collections, student questions, and other issues that will hopefully be answered in this FAQ.
Where are AHF’s collections?
With an agreement signed on June 28, 2019, the Atomic Heritage Foundation and the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History are forging a new partnership to preserve the history of the Manhattan Project and the Atomic Age. This significant agreement will ensure that the Atomic Heritage Foundation’s extensive collection of oral histories, interpretive vignettes, and articles about the Manhattan Project and its legacy will remain available to the public for the foreseeable future. Additionally, the NMNSH has taken over stewarship of the AHF websites and inquiries about the collection should be directed to info@nuclearmuseum.org.
How can I receive updates about AHF events and projects?
Please sign up for our newsletter to receive up to date information about AHF projects and developments, or consult our annual reports for more information.
Why should I donate to the Atomic Heritage Foundation?
Donating to the Atomic Heritage Foundation is a way to show your support for our work. Most of our supporters have chosen to donate because they served on the Manhattan Project, in honor of a friend or relative who did so, or simply because they think the history of the Manhattan Project is worth remembering and preserving. If you would like to support the work that is being done on this website and around the country to preserve the Manhattan Project sites, please consider making a donation today.
Where did AHF get its funding?
The Atomic Heritage Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, founded in 2002 by Cynthia C. Kelly. We receive most of our funding from grants to work on specific projects. Some of our funding has come from federal grants and the rest from private foundations and individual donors. In recent years we have received generous grants and contributions from the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Crystal Trust, the MacArthur Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Kerr Foundation, the City of Richland, the Institute of Electrical And Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and philanthropists Clay and Dorothy Perkins. Their support is much appreciated.
Where can I learn more about my relative’s work on the Manhattan Project?
There are several archives around the country that may be able to help you locate personnel records about a Manhattan Project veteran.
- If your relative was in the military, check with the National Archives here.
- If they were civilian, try to find out which company he or she worked for and see if you can locate their records directly through that organization. For example, if they worked for DuPont, get in touch with the Hagley Library in Wilmington, DE, which houses the DuPont Corp. archives.
- If they were employed by the federal government, get in touch with the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, MO, which houses the records of federal employees. Unfortunately, in 1973 a major fire destroyed millions of records of Army and Air Force personnel held at the center.
- The National Archives at Atlanta has a wealth of information on the Manhattan Project.
- Check AHF’s Manhattan Project Veterans Database. Please note that if they are not listed in the database, AHF has no information on them. We have published profiles on all veterans that we have information on from our archives and other sources.
How can I learn more about the EEOICPA claims process?
If you need assistance with the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) or the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) government programs, please see this list of organizations and consultants who can provide guidance and help.
Can I use documents and information from this site in my report/publication?
All information on this site belongs to the Atomic Heritage Foundation. If you are using photos from one of the profile galleries, please include the name of the collection – for example, “the Walter Goodman Collection, Atomic Heritage Foundation.” If you want to use anything on the site for commercial purposes, please contact the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History’s Collections Department to request permission and discuss the appropriate fee. You are welcome to use text or images from the site for personal use and the documents for primary source research provided that you give the Atomic Heritage Foundation credit (please see our guide on how to cite information from our website). Please feel free to contact us about anything at info@nuclearmuseum.org.
Who is the author of a particular article?
Some articles list a specific author. For the other articles, please cite the author as the Atomic Heritage Foundation. Typically, many staff members contribute to each article, and the copyright belongs to AHF.
Can I get high-resolution versions of images from this site?
If available, we can provide high-resolution versions of images from this site for a fee. Photos from veterans’ collections on this site are copyrighted by AHF and may not be used without permission. Permission for the use of must photographs can be granted by contacting the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History’s Collections Department.
If you are interested in public domain photos or videos from the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos or the Trinity Site, please contact the Los Alamos National Laboratory archives.
Does AHF want my memorabilia?
At this time, the Atomic Heritage Foundation is no longer accepting memorabilia. Please contact the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History to inquire about donating memorabilia here.
Can I speak to/contact a veteran?
Unfortunately, we are not able to put you in touch with a veteran or expert.
Where can I find information that used to be on the MPHPA website?
The Manhattan Project Heritage and Preservation Association (MPHPA) was an organization focused on Manhattan Project veterans and their children. Michael Vickio, President and founder of the MPHPA, died suddenly in late September 2005 in Montour Falls, New York. His death was a great loss as he was passionate about preserving the Manhattan Project history. Under his leadership, MPHPA created an excellent website and forum for veterans and their families. In March 2006, the MPHPA’s Board entered into an agreement with AHF to purchase their assets and continue the mission of the MPHPA.
AHF uploaded the majority of MPHPA’s profiles, photographs, and other documents to the AHF website. As a result, the MPHPA website, which was extremely old and in danger of being hacked, was taken down permanently.