Beaver County Industrial Museum
Give Us a Call 724-624-8244
What's New?
After the unexpected passing of our beloved founder and chairman, Don Inman, the museum’s board of directors is taking this winter to regroup.
We expect to kick off our 2024 season as planned, with a special exhibit for Beaver County History Weekend, May 4th & 5th.
This year’s theme is the Harmonist Society’s contribution to local history. Our exhibit will feature the industries the Harmonists started and/or financed in Beaver County, including education, Cooperative Flint Glass, Beaver Falls Cutlery, and the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie railroad.
The original Shippingport Atomic Power Station located in Shippingport, Beaver County, Pa. was the first large-scale, central-station nuclear power plant in the United States and the first plant of such size in the world that was operated solely to produce electric power. This program was started in 1953 to confirm the practical application of nuclear power for large-scale electric power generation. It has provided much of the technology being used for the design and operation of today's commercial, central-station nuclear power plants.
The reactor reached criticality on December 2, 1957 and remained in operation until October 1982. The first electrical power was produced on December 18, 1957 as engineers synchronized the plant with the distribution grid of the Duquesne Light Company.
We initially brought the Shippingport Atomic Power Station exhibit to the public as a temporary exhibit in 2014. However, due to the overwhelmingly positive response to the exhibit, we have made this a part of our permanent displays.
Look under "What's New?" below for information on our new exhibits and updates to our current collections.
There is something for everyone to enjoy!
SHIPPINGPORT ATOMIC POWER STATION 1957
THE WORLD'S FIRST COMMERCIAL
ATOMIC POWER STATION
