Messages of Peace: Honoring History, Inspiring Hope
Messages of Peace: Honoring History, Inspiring Hope
Join the REACH Museum and Manhattan Project National Historical Park on Saturday, August 8, for a meaningful morning of reflection, remembrance, and hope.
Messages of Peace is part of the park’s annual Days of Peace and Remembrance, which commemorates the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 and encourages visitors to consider how history can inspire a more peaceful future.
Throughout the event, visitors can:
- Write a personal message of peace on a luminaria bag that will be displayed during the Lights for Peace program on August 9.
- Fold an origami crane, an enduring symbol of peace and healing connected to the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young survivor of Hiroshima.
- Attend ranger-led programs exploring the history and legacy of the Manhattan Project.
Ranger-Led Programs
10:30 AM — The Manhattan Project and Sadako Sasaki
This 20-minute, family-friendly program introduces the history of the Manhattan Project and shares the powerful legacy of Sadako Sasaki and the paper crane as a symbol of peace.
11:30 AM — From Creation to Detonation: The Story of Plutonium and the Manhattan Project
This 45-minute presentation examines the scientific development of plutonium, Hanford’s role in the Manhattan Project, and the far-reaching consequences of this history.
Messages of Peace is family-friendly, free for REACH Members, and included with general museum admission. All supplies will be provided.
Location: REACH Museum, 1943 Columbia Park Trail, Richland, Washington
Event date: Saturday, August 8, 2026
Event time: 10:00 AM–1:00 PM