Past and Future Converge at the Oak Ridge Discovery Foundation

Courtesy of the Oak Ridge Discovery Foundation

Not far from the natural wonders and amazing shopping that draw crowds to East Tennessee, the Oak Ridge Discovery Foundation has a new name and a big story to tell about the energy innovation that defined the area’s past and now shapes its future. 

Building on the long history of the American Museum of Science and Energy (AMSE), the Foundation’s new name reflects its role as a bridge between the Oak Ridge region’s storied past and a new world of emerging discoveries and exciting growth. With two campuses – AMSE and The Atomic History Campus at K-25 – totaling four buildings, the Foundation welcomed more than 60,000 visitors from 20 countries and all 50 states in 2025, educating them about both the history and the future of science and engineering. 

Michael D. Tedesco

“Technology created here has literally taken us into the furthest reaches of the galaxy, from the isotopes that powered the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 space missions to treatments for cancer to power that fuels the nuclear Navy,” says Matt Mullins, director of marketing and communications. “And people can come here and see it all.” 

He says, “We can look 100 years in the past to energy innovations from the Tennessee Valley Authority all the way to the Manhattan Project. And now we have today’s innovators looking to Oak Ridge for how they will power their data centers and the space program.” 

Here, past achievements meet the unfolding future. One of the Foundation’s buildings sits in the middle of nearly $12 billion of new nuclear infrastructure. Innovations from federal agencies and the private sector support projects ranging from NASA’s continued exploration to medical isotopes, material research and new reactor technology, making this region the heart of the nuclear renaissance. 

Courtesy of the Oak Ridge Discovery Foundation

“Looking back, something happened here that had never been before,” Mullins says. “And now, something that has never been done is about to be born. Visitors of all ages can see the past and future happening at once, here at the Oak Ridge Discovery Foundation. 

“From fifth graders to 75-year-olds, we see the looks of awe on their faces. Isn’t that super cool?” 

Learn more and plan your visit at amse.org/oakridgediscoveryfoundation.