This Arizona Museum Houses the Largest Intercontinental Missile America Ever Built

The Titan Missile Museum, Arizona

This former doomsday bunker in the Arizona desert lets you get hands-on with the apocalypse that never happened.

Stand next to a legit nuclear missile (don’t worry, the warhead’s gone), mess with the launch controls, and hear jaw-dropping stories about how the crew lived knowing they might have to end civilization.

The tour guides are actual veterans who worked here, and they don’t sugarcoat how terrifying it was. Perfect for history buffs, conspiracy theorists, or anyone looking for bragging rights about the time they hung out in a real-life missile silo.

The Last Titan II Missile Complex in America

The Titan Missile Museum is a National Historic Landmark and the last remaining Titan II missile complex of the 54 that once stood on alert across the United States from 1963 to 1987.

Located near Tucson in Green Valley, Arizona, this preserved site (officially known as complex 571-7) gives visitors a rare glimpse into America’s nuclear deterrence strategy during the Cold War.

A Nuclear Time Capsule from the 1960s

Constructed in 1963 and deactivated in 1984 as part of President Reagan’s weapons modernization program, this site offers a glimpse into one of the most tense periods in world history.

The Titan II was the largest operational land-based nuclear missile ever used by the United States, carrying a W53 warhead with a yield of 9 megatons (9,000 kilotons) vastly more powerful than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

By treaty, all other Titan II installations had to be destroyed, but this one was allowed by the Soviets to survive as a museum. It opened to the public in May 1986, preserving a crucial piece of Cold War history.

The Deep Underground Military Bunker Tour

The underground facilities are the real highlight, featuring a three-level Launch Control Center, an eight-level silo containing the missile and related equipment, and connecting structures including access tunnels, blast locks, and equipment elevators.

The 103-foot Titan II missile displayed inside the silo has neither warhead nor fuel, making it safe for public viewing. The guided tour includes the launch control room with a simulated launch and continues through a 200-foot tunnel for a close-up look at the missile itself.

The experience of descending into this Cold War time capsule is unlike anything else in the country.

You Get to Experience a Mock Missile Launch

One of the most thrilling parts of your visit will be experiencing a simulated missile launch in the underground Launch Control Center.

You’ll see the three-ton blast doors, eight-foot thick silo walls, and get to stand in the same room where missile crews once stood ready to turn their launch keys. Imagine the weight of responsibility these young officers carried knowing they could be ordered to initiate a sequence that might lead to nuclear war.

Old Technology That Once Controlled World Destruction

The technology preserved here is a fascinating glimpse into 1960s engineering. The launch control room contains vintage equipment that looks straight out of old science fiction movies toggle switches, analog dials, bulky metal control panels, and glowing buttons.

For protection against nearby nuclear blasts, the walls of the control center aren’t connected to the floors, and everything is mounted on giant springs.

Weapons Built Never to Be Used

The museum tells a complex story about nuclear weapons and their role in history. The site’s message of ‘Peace Through Deterrence’ highlights how these weapons, paradoxically, were designed never to be used.

For more than two decades, the 54 Titan II missile complexes stood ‘on alert’ 24/7, either ‘heightening the threat of nuclear war or preventing Armageddon, depending upon your point of view.’

Go Beyond the Standard Visit with Special Tours

Beyond the standard tour, the museum offers special experiences like the more extensive ‘Top to Bottom’ tour, available several times each month. This five-hour deep dive accommodates just six people and provides unprecedented access to the facility.

They also offer ‘Moonlight MADness’ tours on Saturday evenings nearest the full moon, creating an especially eerie atmosphere when looking down at the missile in complete darkness.

Star Trek First Contact Was Filmed Here

Film buffs might recognize parts of the facility from the 1996 movie ‘Star Trek: First Contact.’ Several scenes were shot at the site, with the Titan missile itself depicted as the launch vehicle for the film’s Phoenix spacecraft humanity’s first warp-capable ship.

ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center

Just 7 miles from the Titan Missile Museum is another fascinating attraction. The ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center offers tours of one of the largest open-pit copper mining operations in the country.

Visitors can stand at the edge of the massive open-pit mine (which is an impressive 2 miles wide) and view the copper mill in operation. Since opening in 1997, the center has educated visitors about Arizona’s mining history and the importance of copper in our civilization.

The facility includes a free self-guided tour area and gift shop, plus ticketed mine tours available Wednesday through Sunday.

Other Attractions Near Green Valley Arizona

The Green Valley/Tucson area offers plenty of other activities to round out your trip. Within driving distance, you can check out unique roadside attractions like the Giant Mosaic Gila Monsters in Tucson (11 miles away) or the Avatar 9/11 Memorial (12 miles away).

Tucson itself is filled with museums, historical sites, outdoor activities, and excellent dining options. The area’s beautiful desert landscape also provides opportunities for hiking, wildlife viewing, and spectacular sunset photography.

Visiting the Titan Missile Museum

The museum is located at 1580 Duval Mine Road, Green Valley, AZ 85614.

As of January 6th, 2025, online reservations are REQUIRED for the guided underground silo tour. Walk-ins can only purchase access to topside exhibits.

Ticket prices are $15.50 for adults, $14.50 for seniors, $12.00 for children 5-12, and free for children 4 and under.