It's safe to say that most people visiting Las Vegas aren't there for a museum experience. The gambling, the entertainment, the sports events, the dining, the clubs, the pools and the shopping are just too enticing. But for those predisposed to engage with the community beyond the Strip, to learn more about southern Nevada and its history, several acclaimed museums beckon.
The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art always boasts compelling works, but the city doesn't currently have a standalone art museum. A proposed 90,000-square-foot, three-story project near the Smith Center in downtown Las Vegas is being discussed. It would be a collaboration between the city, the foundation of Elaine Wynn and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Organizers hope to raise $150 million and open by 2028.
Until that dream is realized, and in celebration of International Museum Day on May 18, here are just some of the most prominent museums in southern Nevada to better understand the existence, the history and the allure of Las Vegas.
Mob Museum (good guys versus bad guys; for older teens and adults)
Just steps from downtown casinos, the most conveniently located museum for tourists is the Mob Museum (formally the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement). Open since 1933, the neoclassical building has been a post office and a federal courthouse. In 1950, it hosted one of the Kefauver Committee hearings that helped expose organized crime's infiltration of business and politics.
Since 2012, the museum has welcomed 4 million guests (now hosting about 400,000 annually) to learn about organized crime's impact as well as key events and characters in the continuing battle between criminals and the law. About 90% of the guests are out-of-towners, an endorsement of both its location and the appeal of its national and international scope.
"One of the things we really strive to do is to place the story of organized crime and law enforcement -- the shadow history of America -- and highlight where it intersects with mainstream history. I don't think we should look at the Mob Museum as a sort of niche so much as a piece of the larger story," said Geoff Schumacher, vice president of exhibits and programs.
• Related: Mob Museum's Geoff Schumacher on Las Vegas' place in history
The three-story structure displays memorable artifacts and contains keen insights for serious researchers while interactive exhibits encourage more casually curious guests. A basement speakeasy has a daily password (found on its website) to get past the vigilant doorman. For more info, visit the museum's website.
Neon Museum (flamboyant signs found only in Vegas; for teens and adults)
At sunset, when the meticulously restored signs' neon comes alive, the Neon Museum downtown is breathtaking. Their size, their design, their vibrant colors tell a story -- how for decades they pointed the way to excitement in the desert. The glorious Moulin Rouge sign marked the city's first racially integrated hotel-casino. It was only open for six months in 1955, but here the sign resides almost 70 years later.
Guests can walk through on their own pace, or they can go on general or specifically themed tours with docents explaining the context of Las Vegas when the signs were in their full glory. They can also take in nightly audiovisual shows that use special lighting to bring long-dormant signs to life.
Springs Preserve (the birth of an unlikely city, water conservation and more; for all ages)
Just a few minutes' drive west of the tourist corridor, this 180-acre cultural jewel is where Las Vegas really got started. Water bubbling to the surface here sustained Native Americans for thousands of years before European American settlers, ranchers, railroaders and gamblers created a world-class tourist destination.
The rotunda of the Desert Living Center at Springs Preserve. Photo Credit: Springs Preserve
Through museums, galleries, films, art, interactive displays, gardens and trails, guests learn about southern Nevada's natural and man-made history as well as ways to conserve water and other sustainability tactics. Tickets include admission to the Nevada State Museum, also on its grounds. Visit the preserve's website to learn more.
Clark County Museum (southern Nevada's history up close and personal; for all ages)
The Clark County Museum is in Henderson, but well worth the 25-minute drive from the tourist corridor. On charming, tree-lined Heritage Street, guests can stroll through homes that were carefully transported from every part of the Las Vegas valley and lovingly restored. Appliances, furniture, decor, clothing and other artifacts effectively depict what daily life was like from the 1910s to the 1970s.
Visitors can also embark on a journey from the Ice Age to the Age of Entertainment in the Anna Robert Parks Exhibit Hall. The depot and collection of railroad cars show how freight and passengers moved into and throughout Southern Nevada. The Ghost Town and Mining Trail area provides insight about the hot, arid environment.
Others to consider
Clark County also runs the Cannon Aviation Museum above the baggage claim at Reid Airport. The Atomic Museum, just west of the Strip, explores southern Nevada's longtime role in weapons testing, and the implications of the science and technology. The wide-ranging galleries at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum consider prehistoric life, wildlife, marine life, geology, ancient Egypt, the African savanna and more.
The Discover Children's Museum offers a delightful selection of games and activities, compelling for youngsters and adults, that blend important lessons about science, technology, engineering and the arts.
Three museums that are probably not appropriate for the kids are the Punk Rock Museum, the Burlesque Hall of Fame and the Erotic Heritage Museum.
Even farther south than Henderson, the free Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum serves as an introduction to both the town and massive public project for which it was built. While not a museum, Hoover Dam's visitor center and tours are ways to see history in action.
The Liberace Museum Collection and Liberace Garage, Zak Bagan's Haunted Museum and the Shelby Heritage Center represent other unique opportunities for Las Vegas visitors to take in some history while having a good time.