Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe
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September 2026
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Adults
Age 13 and over
Children
Age 12 and under
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
4.9/5
Based on 16 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe worth booking?
Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe is a 2-hour experience in Santa Fe, United States, from $40 per person. It scores 73 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Strongly Recommended”, based on a 4.9/5 rating across 16 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 73 / 100
- Rating
- 4.9/5 (16)
- Duration
- 2 hours
- From
- $40 per person
Discover the world of J. Robert Oppenheimer and Soviet spies on this engaging two-hour walking tour in Santa Fe. Led by museum-trained docents from the New Mexico History Museum, this tour illuminates key locations relat
What you get
About this experience
Discover the world of J. Robert Oppenheimer and Soviet spies on this engaging two-hour walking tour in Santa Fe. Led by museum-trained docents from the New Mexico History Museum, this tour illuminates key locations related to the Manhattan Project and Cold War espionage. Explore the back-room office for the Manhattan Project, learn about vital spy craft techniques, and hear compelling stories tied to this historic period. With insights into the motivations of spies and the secrets exchanged, this tour provides a rich educational experience in a captivating setting. Private, customizable tours are available by request and docent availability. - Two-hour walking tour led by museum-trained docents - Discover key sites of the Manhattan Project and Soviet espionage - Hear true stories and anecdotes from a pivotal historical era - Tours available on select dates throughout the month from April to November - Private, custom tours are available
What's included
Included
- Audio equipment to hear the docent
- 2 Hour Tour
- Professional Docent/Guide
Not included
- Gratuities
- Pets are not allowed on this tour (exception is service animals)
What you'll see and do
New Mexico History Museum
Discover the hidden world of Soviet espionage starting at the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe. This introduction explores the roles of spies and couriers, revealing how covert operations and secret intelligence activities shaped both global events and the region’s history. Learn the basics of spy craft and uncover Santa Fe’s surprising connection to Cold War intrigue.
10 minutes here
Santa Fe Plaza
Discover key locations tied to Cold War espionage in Santa Fe, where history reveals the real-life world of Soviet intelligence operations. Learn about the Spitz Clock, linked to one of the most significant atomic espionage successes involving the transfer of sensitive information, and visit the site of Zook’s Pharmacy, once connected to covert plans surrounding the assassination of a Russian Marxist figure. Together, these stops highlight the surprising role of Santa Fe in global espionage and the far-reaching impact of spy networks.
10 minutes here
109 East Palace
Explore the human stories behind one of history’s most secretive operations as you’re introduced to key figures and moments of espionage connected to Santa Fe. Learn about Dorothy McKibbin, the trusted gatekeeper of the Manhattan Project in Santa Fe, who helped discreetly manage the flow of scientists and personnel linked to the top-secret program. Discover the significance of PO Box 1663, a seemingly ordinary mailing address that served as a cover for highly classified communications and operations tied to Los Alamos. Through engaging anecdotes, this stop also reveals how even the most carefully controlled intelligence efforts were not without flaws, with stories of security lapses that exposed the challenges of maintaining secrecy during wartime. Together, these insights provide a deeper understanding of the people, systems, and occasional missteps that shaped one of the most critical chapters in espionage and scientific history.
10 minutes here
Cathedral Park
Discover how Santa Fe’s historic sites concealed one of the most secret operations of World War II. At the location now home to the Museum of Contemporary Native Art, you’ll learn how a former post office once handled PO Box 1663—a simple address that served as a crucial front for Manhattan Project communications and personnel logistics. This stop reveals how scientists arriving in Santa Fe were discreetly processed and assigned aliases to protect their identities before being transported to Los Alamos. By uncovering the clever systems used to maintain secrecy, including coded identities and unassuming locations, this experience highlights the extraordinary measures taken to shield one of history’s most important scientific missions.
10 minutes here
Discover a key moment in Santa Fe’s secret history, as Dorothy McKibbin meets Robert Oppenheimer—known under the alias “Mr. Bradley”—and is chosen to manage the discreet 109 East Palace office. From here, she quietly coordinated arrivals for the Manhattan Project, while scientists used everyday settings, like local bars, to spread misinformation and protect one of history’s most closely guarded secrets.
10 minutes here
Learn about one of the Cold War’s most dramatic espionage incidents, as former CIA operative Edward Lee Howard—after being dismissed from the agency—secretly fled Santa Fe in 1985 and defected to the Soviet Union. His escape highlights the enduring presence of espionage activity in the region and the high-stakes consequences of intelligence betrayal.
10 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Santa Fe
Meet in front of the New Mexico History Museum. Tickets can be purchased closer to departure time at the Museum gift shop.
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
Meet in front of the New Mexico History Museum. Tickets can be purchased closer to departure time at the Museum gift shop.
Options you can book
Assassins, Spies 3
Assassins, Spies 6
Assassins, Spies 2
Assassins, Spies 8
Assassins, Spies
Assassins, Spies 5
Assassins, Spies 12
Assassins, Spies 9
Assassins, Spies
Assassins, Spies 4
Assassins, Spies 11
Assassins, Spies 10
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Friends of History New Mexico
Know before you go
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Walking route is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) on some uneven surfaces
- To ensure the comfort and safety of all our guests, please leave pets and other animals at home. Service animals are welcome.
- Not recommended if you have difficulty walking
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 12 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
Knowledge and storytelling
8 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
The guide
4 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Small groups
2 mentionsThe group size is repeatedly described as intimate rather than packed.
Traveler reviews
12 verified traveler reviews for Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Good history on Santa Fe
Very informative. We were very satisfied we took the tour.
via Tripadvisor
Los Alamos Manhattan Project Tour/Friends of History NM
We participated in the Los Alamos Manhattan Project tour in early August 2026. Our tour guide was Dan and he was excellent. He was very enthusiastic and really seemed to have a strong interest in the material. He made us excited to learn about this history. I highly recommend this tour. If you are going to Los Alamos in the hot summer months, I strongly recommend that you take water with you.
via Tripadvisor
Joe from Georgia visits Los Alamos
My wife and I visited Santa Fe and the opera this August. As part of the trip, we had an interest in visiting Los Alamos due to the film Oppenheimer. The trip there was scenic and enjoyable. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and a pleasure to spend the time with. The tour opened our eyes to the details of the Manhattan Project that were not revealed in the movie. Our guide made the trip there well worth the time and made Santa Fe more enjoyable.
via Tripadvisor
Spies & Assassins Santa Fe; Manhattan Project-Los Alamos tours
Incredible tour with deep historic context, novel insights and highlights! No questions left unawswered. Entertaining as well! It was everything they said it was.....and more! Did both Spies & Assassins tour in Santa Fe and Manhattan Project-Los Alamos tour as well.
via Tripadvisor
History brought alive!!
This was a fantastic tour. Our guide, Dan Kitrell was incredibly knowledgeable. With his welcoming demeanor, he made the tour very interesting and engaging. So much so that strangers on the tour got to know each other. The tour flowed chronologically as we walked to the various locations around downtown Santa Fe. Dan also knew locations with benches where the entire group could sit periodically as he spoke. And he was able to answer pretty much any question that members of the tour group asked. It was a fantastic learning experience. I would enthusiastically recommend this tour to anyone visiting Santa Fe. Given this great experience with the guide Dan Kitrell on the Assasins, Spies and the Manhattan Project tour, I decided to book the private "Los Alamos Manhattan Project" three-hour walking tour of Los Alamos, also with Dan. (This private tour was booked directly with New Mexico Friends of History.) It was another 5-Star experience - it felt like I was back in the 1940s thanks to Dan's incredible knowledge.
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 2 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 6
- Verdict
- Strongly Recommended
Why this scores 73
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Santa Fe.
How much does Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe cost?
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Prices start at $40 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Santa Fe usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe take?
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Plan for about 2 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Santa Fe is not rushed.
Is Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 73 out of 100, which we label "Strongly Recommended". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.9/5 across 16 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Santa Fe, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 2-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe?
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Around 6 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Santa Fe can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Santa Fe and add a light layer if any part of the 2-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Assassins, Spies & the Manhattan Project Walking Tour in Santa Fe start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Santa Fe within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Santa Fe?
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Santa Fe runs on culture: Canyon Road gallery walks, Georgia O'Keeffe country and Ghost Ranch tours, pueblo visits, green chile food tours and Bandelier hikes. Cultural access and guide expertise matter more than price here. On Outty we rank every Santa Fe experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Santa Fe Revisited, Santa Fe Ultimate History Walking Tour, The ORIGINAL Wander New Mexico "Sip & Savor" Plaza Tour. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Santa Fe?
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April to June and September to October, with Indian Market in August. Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Santa Fe?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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