National Park Week activities at Manhattan Project National Historical Park | State Of Tennessee

OAK RIDGE — Manhattan Project National Historical Park invites the public to celebrate America’s story during National Park Week from Aug. 22 to 30, 2026. in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The park has planned a series of activities for this year’s celebration (all events are in Eastern Time). Entrance fees will be waived for U.S. citizens and residents on Aug. 25, in honor of the National Park Service’s 110th birthday.

Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee has a whole week of activities planned for this year’s National Park Week.

• Let’s Go Fishing Program on Saturday, Aug. 22 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Have a child, 12 and under, who wants to fish? Youth will learn the basics of fishing, from knot tying to being respectful stewards of the river. At the end of the program, our youth visitors will be given a Jr. Ranger Angler Badge and fishing equipment to keep. Registration required by emailing MAPR_information@NPS.gov. This program is possible with a grant from the National Park Foundation.

• Building America’s Secret City: Guided Ranger Walk in Jackson Square on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. Over 75,000 called Oak Ridge home during World War II. Explore the home front history of the largest city of the Manhattan Project with a ranger. During the program, visitors will learn how Oak Ridgers shaped America’s Secret City while building the atomic bomb.

• History of the National Park Service, Ranger Talk in AK Bissell Park on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 2 p.m. The National Park Service was created on Aug. 25, 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act. Since then, park rangers have filled many important roles. Learn about the many “hats” a park ranger wears during this informative 30-minute presentation.

• The Women of K-25, Ranger Talk at K-25 on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 11 a.m. Join a ranger at the William J. Wilcox, Jr. Interpretive Center at the K-25 site for a half-hour presentation on the women workers of K-25.

• A Secret City Planned From Miles Away: Housing and Home Life in Oak Ridge During the Manhattan Project, Ranger Talk at the Park Visitor Center on Friday, Aug. 28 at 2 p.m. Join a ranger at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge for a 30 minute walk and talk on the museum grounds as we discuss the importance of Victory Gardens during World War II and the various types of homes that were assembled for the Manhattan Project.

• Enriching Uranium in Happy Valley, Ranger Walk at K-25 on Saturday Aug. 29 at 11 a.m. The largest plant site of the Manhattan Project, and the war, K-25 helped isolate the crucial uranium-235 from the more abundant uranium-238. To accomplish that goal, tens of thousands of construction workers relocated to Happy Valley. Learn more about the accomplishments of those workers, and the sacrifices it took to get there, at a ranger walk along the greenways through the former K-25 site. The distance walking will be one mile out and back along an asphalt walkway with no elevation gain.

• Female Soldiers of the Manhattan Project, Ranger Talk in Jackson Square on Saturday, Aug. 29 at 1 p.m. The Women’s Army Corps (WAC) played an essential role in the success of the Manhattan Project by providing critical administrative, technical, and security support. WAC members served in a variety of positions, including handling classified materials, maintaining records, supporting communications, and assisting scientific and military operations. Their dedication and service helped ensure the project’s efficiency and security during World War II. This program explores their contributions and honors the lasting impact they made on history.

• National Junior Ranger Day Pop-Ups! On Sunday Aug. 30 at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 p.m. come by the Visitor Center at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. Earn your Junior Ranger badges and celebrate National Park Week at Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. National Junior Ranger Day activities include pop-in Junior Ranger talks on the half hour, Design Your Own Junior Ranger badge activity, and an exclusive National Junior Ranger Day Stamp!

Share your national park stories on social media using #NationalParkWeek, #NationalJuniorRangerDay and #NPSBirthday. For more information call the Visitor Center at 865-482-1942.