US-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-OPPENHEIMER-TOURISM

Nicholas Lewis, Los Alamos National Laboratory historian, poses in J. Robert Oppenheimer's house in Los Alamos, New Mexico, on February 20, 2024. Christopher Nolan's $1 billion-grossing "Oppenheimer" hasn't just lined the pockets of Hollywood studio executives -- it has also brought an unexpected windfall to the secretive community of Los Alamos. Since the film's release last July, tourists have been flocking to sites like the Oppenheimer House, and Fuller Lodge, where nuclear scientists held parties to celebrate their success in building the bomb. On the one hand, the tourist boom could help raise the $2 million needed to restore the century-old home where the Oppenheimers lived, which is in dire need of repairs. "Oppenheimer was renowned for his martinis and for being a very accommodating host. A lot of history happened just in these rooms," said Lewis. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)