What You Will Do
Step into the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the "father of the atomic bomb." Explore pivotal locations on the Upper West Side that shaped Oppenheimer’s upbringing, education, and radical thinking. Learn how New York’s intellectual and political movements, including the New Deal, influenced his rise and groundbreaking work on the Manhattan Project. Visit key atomic bomb history sites and trace the Oppenheimer family’s immigrant journey, and reflect on how Oppenheimer’s controversial legacy continues to shape global science and politics today.
Tour Highlights:
Explore the Upper West Side, where Oppenheimer’s early experiences in New York City contributed to his future as the leader of the Manhattan Project.
Visit important locations that reflect Oppenheimer’s unique education in New York.
Learn about the rise of Oppenheimer’s immigrant family in America.
Explore NYC’s role in the Manhattan Project.
Gain insight into Oppenheimer’s legacy.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
Meeting Point
Outside 94 Corner Cafe on the corner of Broadway (east side) and West 94th Street (south side).
1
Upper West Side
10 minutes
We will visit the premarital home of Ella Oppenheimer, Robert Oppenheimer's mother, to discuss J. Robert Oppenheimer's immigrant ancestry.
2
Upper West Side
10 minutes
We will visit the site of Oppenheimer's birth to discuss his parents' life in New York.
3
Upper West Side
15 minutes
We will visit the former home of Edwin R. A. Seligman to discuss Oppenheimer's education at the Ethical Culture School.
4
Upper West Side
10 minutes
We will visit the Clarendon, the former home of William Randolph Hearst, who was the talk of Oppenheimer's childhood neighborhood and had ties with the world leaders who would be forever connected by WWII and Oppenheimer.
5
Riverside Drive
15 minutes
We will visit the childhood home of J. Robert Oppenheimer to discuss his childhood and adolescence.
6
Soldiers' and Sailors Monument New York
15 minutes
Visitors will learn about the history of Riverside Drive that coincided with Oppenheimer's formative years.
7
Riverside Drive
10 minutes
We will visit the Master Apartments to discuss FDR's New Deal and the various ideologies of that era that prospered and informed Oppenheimer as a young man.
8
New York Buddhist Church
15 minutes
We will look at the Shinran Statue to discuss the cause and the effect of the atomic bomb.
9
Riverside Drive
10 minutes
We will visit the home of Isidor Rabi, a pioneer in 20th-century physics, a Nobel Prize winner, and a close friend of Oppenheimer.
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