Green Valley, Arizona: Titan Missile Museum

An important Atomic Tour sight -- a fully restored missile base, relic of the Cold War.

One of our favorite Apocalypse Almost-Now attractions, the Titan Missile Museum outside of Tucson, Arizona, is counting up to its one millionth visitor. If its present attendance trends continue, that milestone tourist will walk through the turnstiles either on February 10 or 11, 2007, although museum director Yvonne Morris concedes that a surge could push it forward to February 8 or even 7.

The cold war is over but the last symbol of that episode can be seen in a missile silo 20 miles south of Tucson along Interstate 19 (take freeway exit 69 at the sign which says "Titan Missile Museum" and then a very short drive west). The silo is a hundred feet underground and much of it is open to the public (tour fee $7.50 per adult)...the whole visit (missile silo tour, museum, and outdoor display) can be seen in about an hour. The stairs down into the silo are steep and not suitable for small children or handicapped. Cameras are allowed.