Following a successful debut at the Atomic Museum, the acclaimed exhibit Miss Atomic Bomb: Icon of the Atomic Age will next be on display at Enterprise Library from November 13, 2025 through January 20, 2026. The exhibit invites visitors to explore the captivating story behind one of the most iconic images of the Atomic Age — and the mystery woman finally identified after decades of speculation.
Through the dedicated efforts of Atomic Museum founding member and historian Robert Friedrichs, the exhibit reveals the true identity of the woman in the famed 1957 photograph: Anna Lee Mahoney of the Bronx, New York. Performing under the stage name Lee Merlin, Mahoney was a Sands Hotel Copa showgirl selected by the Las Vegas News Bureau to pose in a one-piece swimsuit adorned with a cotton mushroom cloud — a now-famous photo taken by Las Vegas News Bureau photographer Don English during Operation Plumbbob.
The image has since become a powerful cultural symbol, capturing the unusual intersection of Cold War-era nuclear testing, Las Vegas showbiz, and mid-century media spectacle. Through immersive storytelling and rarely seen historical artifacts, Miss Atomic Bomb: Icon of the Atomic Age sheds new light on the era and the woman behind the lens.
“Few images embody the fusion of atomic history and Las Vegas culture like ‘Miss Atomic Bomb,’” said Joseph Kent, chief community officer and curator at the 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.”
“Discovering Anna Lee Mahoney’s identity has been a long, personal journey,” added Robert Friedrichs. “This exhibit is about restoring her place in history while telling the larger story of an extraordinary cultural crossroads.”
The exhibit is presented in collaboration with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Archive, which houses the Las Vegas News Bureau’s historic image collection, and the Atomic Museum.
On exhibit at Enterprise Library from November 13, 2025 through January 20, 2026
Monday: 10:00AM – 8:00PM
Tuesday: 10:00AM – 8:00PM
Wednesday: 10:00AM – 8:00PM
Thursday: 10:00AM – 8:00PM
Friday: 10:00AM – 6:00PM
Saturday: 10:00AM – 6:00PM
Sunday: 10:00AM – 6:00PM
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