AMSE in Oak Ridge is where the area’s science story comes alive — a Smithsonian Institution affiliate museum that has told the story of atomic science and energy in east Tennessee since it first opened in 1949. The museum moved to its current building at 115 E Main St in 2018, and the exhibits cover Big Science, National Security, Energy Leadership, the Manhattan Project, and Environmental Restoration, plus rotating temporary exhibits. Kids can poke, push, and press their way through hands-on interactive exhibits, and there’s a Discovery Shop on site for science kits and souvenirs. It’s a natural half-day trip from Maryville (about 45’–50’ down Hwy 321/165), and it pairs well with the nearby Atomic Heritage sites in Oak Ridge.