Miss Atomic Bomb, a mysterious woman who personified the age of nuclear testing in the Nevada desert near Las Vegas, is being featured in the Atomic Museum.
She – a Las Vegas showgirl who was dressed up in a mushroom cloud swimsuit for a promotional photograph in 1957 – is the centerpiecde of “Miss Atomic Bomb: Icon of the Atomic Age” in the museum’s Atomic Lounge & Gallery space.
“Few images embody the fusion of atomic history and Las Vegas culture like ‘Miss Atomic Bomb,’” said Joseph Kent, chief community officer and curator, Atomic Museum. “This exhibit honors not only the woman behind the image, but also the unique cultural moment she represents. Visitors will walk away with a deeper understanding of the time, place, and power of a single photograph to shape public memory.”
Anna Lee Mahoney, a Sands Hotel Copa showgirl who performed under the stage name Lee Merlin, was chosen by the Las Vegas News Bureau to pose in a one-piece swimsuit adorned with a cotton mushroom cloud. The image, captured by Las Vegas News Bureau photographer Don English during Operation Plumbbob, would go on to become a defining symbol of the Atomic Age, capturing the unique convergence of Cold War science, spectacle, and mid-century Las Vegas entertainment.
Featured artifacts in the museum’s display include:
• Photo-lab-index book featuring Don English’s signature.
• A handwritten letter and an autographed photo of Linda Lawson, actress, singer, and fellow Copa showgirl, renowned for posing with a mushroom cloud crown at poolside during the Atomic Age.
• A selection of Las Vegas News Bureau cameras, including a Falcon Deluxe miniature camera, three Rolleiflex cameras, a Graflex Graphic View camera, along with a film magazine and tripod.
• A 2005 issue of Las Vegas Weekly featuring cover model Candice Curtis remaking the iconic Miss Atomic Bomb photograph in recognition of the city’s centennial.
The Killers’ “Battle Born” deluxe edition CD, featuring the track “Miss Atomic Bomb.”
Celebrity Holly Madison’s Miss Atomic Bomb costume, worn during a photo shoot commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Las Vegas News Bureau.
“Uncovering Anna Lee Mahoney’s true identity has been a deeply personal journey, driven by the desire to give credit and context to a woman who became an unwitting icon,” said Atomic Museum founding member and historian Robert Friedrichs. “This exhibit is about restoring her name to history and illuminating the wider story of a remarkable era.”
The Atomic Museum is located at 755 E. Flamingo Road at S. University Center Dr.
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