Los Alamos, the weapons research and design center for the Manhattan Project, is nestled in the mountains above Santa Fe. The Black Hole salvage shop is a fascinating look at the weapons research industry and a great place for oddball gifts.

Founded by Ed Grothus, once a machinist at the Lab turned outspoken proponent of disarmament, The Black Hole is stuffed full of gauges, pumps, computers, boxes full of motherboards and RAM chips, cabinets, rotary phones, and machines that go bing. Aisle after aisle, floor to ceiling, it’s a walk through not only nuclear weapons programs, but one through tech history as well. If you’re a nerd, plan on spending at least half a day picking through things you might need for your latest DIY project. If you’re a normal person, plan on half a day trying to figure out what everything is. Whatever you do, don’t miss it.

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