September 16, 2026
The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), established in 1946, used documentary filmmaking as one of its primary public outreach tools. Between the late 1940s and the agency’s dissolution in 1974, it sponsored hundreds of films that documented nuclear research, promoted peaceful uses of atomic energy, trained scientists and engineers, and shaped public opinion about the “Atomic Age.” By 1972, the AEC catalog listed 232 films available through regional film libraries for schools, universities, industry, and civic organizations.
Office of Legacy Management
