Recently, we wrote an article about how to experience Las Vegas as a coaster enthusiast. However, during our trip, we had another experience that felt amusement adjace enough to be able to cover on this website — a guided tour of the Neon Museum, located just a few blocks from Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas.
Founded in 1996, The Neon Museum is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying, and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment, that offers daily tours. During our recent Vegas trip, we took a guided tour through the Museum’s Boneyard, which operates out of the former La Concha motel lobby. The museum even has restored the original La Concha sign.
Throughout the 45-minute guided tour, we had the opportunity to get up close and personal with more than 200 unrestored signs which are, at sunset, illuminated with ground lighting as well as numerous restored neon signs which are on all the time.
The tour was part Vegas history lesson, part neon education (did you know Neon burns red, while Argon burns blue?), and all incredibly interesting. Our guide (whose name I’ve unfortunately forgotten), moved to Las Vegas with her husband, who worked for the National Weather Service, and her passion for the Neon Museum shone just as bright as the neon signs she was showcasing. Each sign in The Neon Museum’s collection offers a unique story about the personalities who created it, what inspired it, where and when it was made, and the role it played in Las Vegas’ distinctive history.
In addition, The Neon Museum collection chronicles changes and trends in sign design and technology through pieces ranging from the 1930s to the present day.
The Neon Museum’s collection comes from donations and working with local businesses to secure their signage. From Casino Marquees, to smaller casinos and hotels, to small businesses, the Neon Museum had a little bit of everything to showcase.
While we didn’t get a photo, our guide told us a story of a sign for a dry cleaner whose logo was designed by the owner’s daughter. They were responsible for cleaning legendary performer Liberace’s rhinestone shirts. Because the rhinestones could not be dry cleaned, the dry cleaner would remove them individually prior to cleaning, and sew them back on once the shirt was cleaned.
While several of the signs had been restored to their former neon glory, many of the signs in the boneyard were in original condition.
Walking through the Neon Museum after the sun had gone down was a very eerie experience, that almost felt like a scare zone or haunt during a Halloween event at a theme park. The only thing missing at the Neon Museum was scare actors popping out to scare you. The signage defintiely felt like it lent itself to a run-down carnival theme.
Among some of the more recognizable elements in the museum’s collection were the Sahara Marquee, the original Hard Rock Cafe neon guitar, and a skull from the Treasure Island marquee (which is laid on its back, greeting visitors to the Neon Museum’s google maps overhead view!)
From classic to modern, there’s such a wide variety of things to see at the Neon Museum.
Best of all, it was actually one of the more affordable entertainment options in Las Vegas. The guided night-time tour was $28, and general admission during the day is just $20. There is a discount for Las Vegas locals, military, kids, and senior citizens. One thing we didn’t get to experience was “Brilliant Jackpot,” the museum’s 45-minute projection show ($23) that brings signage in the museum’s North Gallery to life with more of a Vegas history lesson – I would definitely want to make time for this on a future visit.
To get the full effect of the Neon Museum, we definitely recommend visiting after the sun has gone down. You get the added benefit of the “lights on” experience, along with an entertaining tour guide who can educate you on all things Las Vegas and neon signs.
For more information, be sure to visit the Neon Museum’s website!
Are you going to check out the Neon Museum on your next trip to Las Vegas? Let us know in the comments below!
i have been here during the day (many years ago).
I don’t recommend going in the middle of the day (go in the morning or evening) since there is a LOT of metal and concrete. This heats up significantly during the day and walking around can be like a guided tour of a sauna.
Even going during the morning, this place is amazing to behold, I would recommend doing it twice, there is a lot to see, and lot of detail on the signs that you wouldn’t see at night or when they are lit up (the lighting will obscure it.. and the darkness obscures more).
Of course as you can see from the photos above, at night, they are amazing (I am confident that the photos don’t do it justice as amazing as they are).
This was one of the most fascinating guided tours of anything I have ever been on.