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Us: Visiting ORNL
Before
Arriving
ORNL welcomes visitors to the Laboratory. However, because of
increased security requirements, we've made some changes in how
the site is accessed.
Bethel Valley Road, which is the main access route to Oak Ridge
National Laboratory from both directions, is now closed to the
public. If you are planning a visit to ORNL, your host will arrange
for you to proceed past entrance stations on Bethel Valley Road
leading to the Laboratory's Visitor Center. It is very important,
if you are not a DOE or DOE contractor employee, to arrange your
visit to ORNL ahead of time.
If you're not sure how to arrange your visit, contact ORNL Visitor
Services, (x10visit@ornl.gov,
(865) 574-7199).
Entering ORNL
The Visitor Services Office prepares a daily list of visitors
for the Protective Force personnel, which is finalized by 4:30
p.m. EST on the preceding day. Your host or sponsor will submit
your name to that list. Upon your arrival at one of the Bethel
Valley Road entrance stations, have some form of picture identification
ready for the Protective Force officers so that they can quickly
confirm you with the list.
Once verified, you will be issued a Temporary Entry Pass, which
authorizes you to travel from the entrance to the ORNL Visitor
Center.
Follow the signs directly to the ORNL Visitor
Center to receive an ORNL proximity card and a visitor ID,
or to the ORNL badge office for badging, as appropriate. If
you arrive and are not on the list of registered visitors, your
ORNL host or sponsor will then have to verify your visit with
ORNL Security. So it's very important that arrangements are
made before your visit.
ORNL Visitor Services can provide you with access to specific
Laboratory areas based upon your needed access requirement for
as long as your stay requires.
Deliveries to ORNL
Non-DOE badged vendors and delivery personnel delivering goods
to ORNL must have in their possession either a bill of lading,
purchase order, or shipping order showing the need for access
to ORNL and the name and phone number of a point of contact at
ORNL who knows about the delivery. Persons in this category who
do not have one of the above items in their possession will not
be allowed site access. If a bonafide delivery is involved, the
delivery vehicle driver will be afforded an opportunity to contact
Visitor Services by telephone for needed assistance.
Building Access
Access to many buildings at ORNL is now controlled with a "proximity
card reader" system. The ORNL proximity card you receive at the
Visitor Services Office should provide entrance into your building
simply by placing the card in front of the proximity reader, located
beside the doorway. When the light turns green and the door lock
clicks, you may enter the building. If your proximity card does
not give you access to a desired building, report to the Visitor
Services Office.
Public
Tours
The DOE Oak Ridge Facilities Public Tour program for 2004 begins on June 8. The route focuses on DOE missions and the history of Oak Ridge.
The program highlights all three DOE Oak Ridge facilities—Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Y-12 National Security Complex and the East Tennessee Technology Park— and includes a stop at ORNL's Graphite Reactor Museum. This seasonal tour is offered Tuesdays through Fridays (April - September). U.S. citizens (ages 10 and up) sign up (first-come, first-served basis) at AMSE beginning at 9 a.m. on the days the tour is offered. The tour officially begins at noon, with an introductory AMSE historical exhibit, and the bus provided for the three-site DOE Oak Ridge Facilities excursion leaves promptly at 12:20 p.m. and returns at 2:30 p.m. The charge is a group rate of $2 per person, which also includes the visit to all other AMSE exhibits. AMSE, which has free parking, is open year round 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and from 1 to 5 p.m.
Sundays.
More than
17,000 people from 50 states have taken the public tour since
its inception. The program is offered primarily for visitors
who have a nontechnical interest in the DOE facilities.
Other
Tours
Special-guided,
general orientation, and other "customized" tours also are offered
primarily for educational groups, who are interested in learning
more about the history, history, current missions, and research
and development at ORNL. Advance registration is required, and
participation is limited to U.S. citizens. Other restrictions
apply as well. For more information about the tour programs,
contact Marilyn McLaughlin (mclaughlinmz@ornl.gov,
865-574-4163) or Fred Strohl (strohlhf@ornl.gov,
865-574-4165).
The American
Museum of Science and Energy, 300 South Tulane Avenue, in downtown
Oak Ridge chronicles the World War II Manhattan Project that
created the secret city of Oak Ridge, provides interactive exhibits
on fossil fuel and alternative energy sources and live demonstrations
that demonstrate basic science principles for all ages. There
is a nominal admission charge. Allow two hours for the self-guided
tour for the two levels of exhibits. The AMSE, a Smithsonian
Affiliate Program Participant, is open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday
through Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday; and closed Monday. Visit
the museum website
for current exhibits, programs and special events. To schedule
a group visit contact AMSE (info@amse.org
or schedule@amse.org,
(865) 576-3200).
Research
Visits
ORNL's Office of Technology
Transfer and Economic Development serves as the access office
for all ORNL guest researchers. Contact Louise B. Dunlap (dunlaplb@ornl.gov,
(865) 576-4221).
Prospective guest
researchers at ORNL's user
facilities are invited to submit research proposals directly
to the facility in which they are interested. The facility will
arrange to have the appropriate agreement in place prior to your visit.
Getting
to ORNL
ORNL is located in
Roane County, Tennessee, about 7 miles from the center of the
city of Oak
Ridge and about 25 miles from the McGhee
Tyson Airport near Knoxville.
Driving
directions and maps
of ORNL and its vicinity are available, as well as information
about the Oak
Ridge region.
A
Word About Radiation
The ORNL
campus, owing to its role in the Manhattan Project and other
pioneering activities of the atomic age, is posted as a "Controlled
Area" and includes several radiological areas. These radiological
areas pose little, if any, risk to the staff and visiting public
when properly observed. To find out more, see the information
about radiation. |
