Beaver County Industrial Museum
Give Us a Call 724-624-8244
WHAT’S NEW
The Beaver County History Coalition's 2025 theme is “The Look of Yesteryear.” We are displaying pieces of glassware, dinnerware, and tools that were common in the 19th century and early 20th century, but that are no longer in everyday use. See if you can guess the use or reason for these pieces that history has left behind!
All of our displays are available to view each Sunday May through August, from 1pm to 4:30pm, as well as for the following special times:
July 12, 2025: 11am-4pm
August 2, 2025: 11am-4pm
September 13, 2025: 11am-4pm
September 14, 2025: 1pm-4pm
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
