The world of Fallout is fictional, but it deals with some very real and very stern issues, the most crucial of which is the threat of nuclear war. Now the video game series will be put on official display in almost the most appropriate place on earth for it: the National Atomic Test Museum in Las Vegas.
“Civilization, I will stay here!” – goes a song by Danny Kaye and The Andrews Sisters that Fallout fans will be familiar with if they ever turn on the radio while out and about in the wasteland. But a trip to the museum might be in order right now, with a limited-time exhibit called “The world of Fallout”opening November 14, 2025
The National Atomic Test Museum says the Bethesda-backed exhibit will explore the cultural legacy of atomic history through the lens of the Fallout series. The installation will consist of objects related to the game and the Amazon series that inspired it. “This compact yet powerful display will highlight connections between real-life nuclear history and the imaginative storytelling of a video game universe,” the museum said in a note to the press. What’s more, the museum will have Fallout-inspired Easter eggs in the main gallery space.
Here is the official note:
First introduced in 1997, the series’ extensive storyline, including the famous Vaults, the Vault Boy mascot and the depiction of a post-apocalyptic wasteland, has left an indelible mark on pop culture. The new exhibition will highlight these elements while drawing on mid-20th century nuclear history, offering visitors the opportunity to experience how nuclear culture inspired art, entertainment and the collective imagination.
Through carefully selected objects and interpretive displays, the exhibition will combine fact and fiction. Highlights include screen-worn Vault costumes and memorabilia, as well as art panels depicting recurring elements of the Fallout series, as well as key Cold War themes that have influenced the world and its history.
The collaboration with Bethesda Softworks underscores the National Atomic Test Museum’s continued commitment to presenting nuclear history from new perspectives. By placing gaming knowledge in a broader context of science and culture, the exhibition aims to engage both long-time Fallout fans and museum visitors. It also complements the museum’s permanent collection, which chronicles the scientific, military and social history of the Atomic Age.
“What makes this exhibition one of a kind is that we placed Fallout’s iconic symbols alongside the story that inspired them,” said Joseph Kent, director of community affairs and curator of the National Atomic Testing Museum. “This is a chance for gamers and history buffs alike to see how closely these two worlds connect.”
“World of Fallout” will be on display at the National Atomic Test Museum until 2026. And in case you’re wondering, the National Atomic Test Site Museum is operated and maintained by its parent company, the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation (NTSHF). Covers the history of nuclear weapons, beginning with the first test at the Nevada Test Site on January 27, 1951.
It’s a busy time for Fallout. There will be a major update for Fallout 76 in December that will add Ghoul from the Fallout TV show, the second season of the show will be released in the same month, and fans are hoping that there will be more to come next year and beyond. Bethesda has said that it is working on Fallout 5, although it won’t arrive until after The Elder Scrolls 6. Bethesda is hosting a Fallout Day broadcast for October 23.
While you wait for the exhibition and all the other Fallout goodness, check out the latest comments from Tim Cain, the creator of the original Fallout game, who revealed the developer’s hidden knowledge of Fallout, from why China was the first to drop the bombs to how Vault suits were created.
Wesley is the news director at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. Wesley can be reached at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
