National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

We were stunned to see this Three Mile Island Lamp … it really does take kitsch — or bad taste — to new levels.

A can of Three Mile Island Creamy Mushroom Dressing should be enough to kill any healthy salad. Wait a minute ... since when does salad dressing come in a can?

We don't know about you, but we have never seen an atomic power plant like the one pictured on this box. Aren't they supposed to be sealed up and contained? Little Bobby could get a nasty rash from this kit! Just kidding ... batteries and nuclear core not included.

This nifty pocket size geiger counter is just the ticket for the uranium prospector on your list.

Now here's the perfect accessory for the family with a well stocked fallout shelter. Imagine actually having to use this thing!

This may look like an early Waring Blender with some sort of sacramental chalice in a box ... but actually it's something even more sinister called a "Radio-Rem outfit." The directions are somewhat involved ... so you can read them for yourself here.

When Danny first saw the device in the back, he thought it might be some sort of turn-of-the-century musical disc player. Actually it's a Morton-Wimshurst-Holtz Influence Machine ... designed to power an x-ray tube and to produce a very high static electrical charge when applied with an electrode to a patient's body. Thus the "influence" we presume. Ouch!

Imagine walking into your doctor's office and seeing this scary device waiting for you. Run for your life ... it's a fluoroscope! Compared to x-ray film, the use of a fluoroscope resulted in higher doses of radiation for both the patient and the doctor.

The Museum displays an impressive variety of highly questionable products ranging from radium salves, x-ray soap, radium creams and powders, x-ray stove polish, and "pure radium water" ... a remedy for "rheumatism, eczema and stomach troubles."

What we have here is a dual-headed Gamma Camera Imaging device called the PRISM 2000XP. The procedure calls for a radioisotope to be administered by injection, orally, or by inhalation. The Gamma cameras photograph the photons given off by the radioisotope ... and a digital image is formed on the computer screen. Very effective in early diagnosis of diseases. Good news ... the mannequin came through with flying colors.

We salute the brave citizens of Arco, Idaho ... all 1,026 of them. After visiting the Museum we learned that the world's first fatal reactor accident took place on January 3, 1961 when the SL-1 reactor melted at the nearby National Reactor Testing Station ... causing three deaths. It's odd they didn't mention that.

After viewing exhibits on other peaceful use for nuclear energy such as nuclear reactors and submarine and aircraft carrier propulsion, the museum ends with an iconic portrait of Albert Einstein. Just when we thought we had a pretty good idea of the man, we learned about the Einstein refrigerator. Click here and here to learn more.

Click on the camera to view the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History Photo Gallery.

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I told my therapist I was having nightmares about nuclear explosions. He said don't worry it's not the end of the world.

— Jay London —