Abstract: Highly penetrating and non-destructive, with sensitivity to light elements and magnetic fields, neutron beams provide information about the microscopic structure and dynamics of materials that is difficult or impossible to obtain via other techniques.  State-of-the-art neutron measurements require a facility-scale source, such as a nuclear reactor or proton accelerator / target  system, as well as sophisticated, custom-built neutron moderators, delivery systems, and instrumentation.  As such, researcher access to neutron techniques is generally limited to user programs at centralized facilities.  The NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) in Gaithersburg, Maryland hosts one of the world’s premiere neutron instrument suites, but the facility has been shut down since 2021 due to complications from a damaged reactor fuel element.  The NCNR is now in the midst of a major reactor recovery and upgrade project that is scheduled to culminate in a return to scientific operations in early 2026.  I’ll present an overview of this key component of the Nation’s scientific infrastructure, with focus on the recovery process, and recent instrumentation upgrades.