LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Visitors at the Nevada National Security Site Museum got a lesson in Cold War history and Southern Nevada’s atomic past Saturday.

Retired test site worker Marcus Brown gave a presentation on Camp Desert Rock, the military installation located about four miles from the Mercury site, where the military conducted experiments to determine whether soldiers could operate in a nuclear environment.

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Brown said the series is part of regular talks the museum hosts every other week on topics including the USS Nevada, “Duck and Cover” and 1950s Las Vegas — all aimed at preserving the legacy of nuclear testing and its impact on the valley.

“Share the legacy and the history of the Nevada Test Site and the culture that it really kind of imparted to the Las Vegas community,” Brown said.

Brown’s history with the test site

Brown began his career at the Nevada Test Site in 1982 as a radiation health technician, supporting underground tests through 1992. He then moved into environmental remediation and later nuclear operations, continuing to work in the field until his retirement in 2023.

He now volunteers as a docent at the Nevada National Security Site Museum to share that history with new generations. Brown said the museum helps tell a story many locals never heard.

“Come and visit the museum. There’s a lot of culture and legacy and history here,” Brown said.