Coolest Museums in Las Vegas (July 2023
Las Vegas is filled with crazy casino floors, round-the-clock resort parties, and booze-fueled nightclubs. But there's another side to this Nevada desert oasis: the diverse cultural and historical heritage. Dare peek beyond the boisterous bars, bottomless brunches, and bright lights, and you'll be surprised by the city's brimming art and museum scene.
We're here to help you uncover hidden gems, from the spectacular exhibitions dedicated to superheroes, cinema, pop culture, engineering, and geology, to the Atomic Testing Museum, a must-visit for folks interested in the Cold War and nuclear science.
Experience a different Vegas by taking a break from the casinos and exploring the most exciting, educational, and brilliant museums in Vegas.
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The Mob Museum is our top pick because it showcases everything from Al Capone's Tommy gun to the Valentine's Day massacre. All four floors provide a history of organized crime's impact on America. This museum is very special because it illustrates how organized crime was detrimental to the creation of a glittering and sprawling Las Vegas.
Be sure to check out the firearms training simulator or the crime lab for an extra fee. A three-hour visit would be enough to absorb everything the museum offers. All-day admission costs $29.95, while an all-day admission with two interactive exhibits costs $48.95. The museum is open daily, 9 am – 9 pm.
It's located at 300 Stewart Avenue, Las Vegas, in a building that used to be a post office and federal courthouse. After the visit, you can enjoy creative drinks and taste liquor at a speakeasy in the basement.
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The Neon Museum is one of the city's well-known and celebrated outdoor museums. It's a very important museum because it showcases the evolution and history of the eye-catching and bright neon signs Las Vegas is famous for. The museum is divided into two sections, the Neon Boneyard North Gallery and the Neon Boneyard Main Collection. It features more than 200 neon signs from famous attractions and casinos of the past years. From the old-school resort's signs from names like Lady Luck, the Golden Nugget, and Stardust to the towering Hard Rock Café Guitar. This museum is best explored at night when the bright lights are lit.
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Did you know that Nevada played a huge role in atomic bombs? Well, you can learn about this at the Atomic Museum. It's one of the 27 national museums in the U.S. and an affiliate partner of the Smithsonian Institution.
Some of the rarest artifacts about the U.S. atomic testing program are housed in the 8,000 Square feet museum. Its highlights include a piece of the Berlin Wall, survey meters, and the original bombshell built for the Trinity gadget.
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The Las Vegas National History Museum explores the prehistoric era, the modern world, and the millions of years in between. It does so using the dedicated exhibit sections that provide deep insight into the world around. It's also an ideal spot for a family-friendly outing.
The museum has everything from Ice Age mammals and dinosaurs to minerals and gems and Egyptian mummies. There's a perfect blend of interactive displays, educational resources, interactive displays, special events, and optional tours all year round.
The crowd favorite is the marine life section featuring real stingrays and sharks swimming in giant tanks; the same applies to the Sunday storytime sessions and the extinct animal skeletons.
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Zak Bagan's The Haunted Museum is for those adrenaline junkies looking to get scared. This self-proclaimed "extreme" museum of the paranormal contains haunted objects such as cursed paintings and demonic dolls.
The museum is home to the world's spookiest and largest collection of haunted items. We're talking paintings by serial killer John Wayne Gacy, the original staircase from the Indiana "Demon House", Bela Lugosi's mirror, Ted Bundy's glasses, and Charles Manson's ashes. There are also flashlight ghost tours where visitors wander the halls of the haunted mansion at night.
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Shelby American is one of the best museums dedicated to American cars in Las Vegas. If you're a car enthusiast, you'll enjoy the shiny, gorgeous cars in the heritage hall showroom. The museum is dedicated to Carroll Shelby.
The tour guides take visitors on a tour as they answer Shelby-related questions. Here, you hear of the fascinating tales of the Shelby vs. Ferrari Le Man races. They also have a merchandise shop. General admission is $20, light shows are $20, and a guided night tour is $28. Members get in free.
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The Titanic: The Artifact Museum provides an accurate and fascinating recreation of the ship's decks, passenger areas, and cabins. Here, you'll find more than 250 objects that were recovered from the wreck (including clothing, jewelry, china, and personal items) and interactive exhibits replicating life on the cruiser.
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The Nevada State Museum is ideal for history buffs because of the interesting cultural and natural history information and artifacts. The museum covers millions of years of human life, animals, culture, and land. Also, you'll find information on America's atomic era, the construction of Hoover Dam, and the first humans to settle in Nevada. Their collection has a 13-foot articulated mammoth skeleton and a huge collection of Native American art.
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The Pinball Hall of Fame is home to a collection of pinball machines worldwide. If you're a fan of silver balls, you'll enjoy visiting the museum. There’s also athere'sange of more than 200 games on pinball machines from the 50 to the 90s.
We're here to help you uncover hidden gems, from the spectacular exhibitions dedicated to superheroes, cinema, pop culture, engineering, and geology, to the Atomic Testing Museum, a must-visit for folks interested in the Cold War and nuclear science.
Experience a different Vegas by taking a break from the casinos and exploring the most exciting, educational, and brilliant museums in Vegas.
1. The Mob Museum
[caption id="attachment_33951" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Facebook[/caption]The Mob Museum is our top pick because it showcases everything from Al Capone's Tommy gun to the Valentine's Day massacre. All four floors provide a history of organized crime's impact on America. This museum is very special because it illustrates how organized crime was detrimental to the creation of a glittering and sprawling Las Vegas.
Be sure to check out the firearms training simulator or the crime lab for an extra fee. A three-hour visit would be enough to absorb everything the museum offers. All-day admission costs $29.95, while an all-day admission with two interactive exhibits costs $48.95. The museum is open daily, 9 am – 9 pm.
It's located at 300 Stewart Avenue, Las Vegas, in a building that used to be a post office and federal courthouse. After the visit, you can enjoy creative drinks and taste liquor at a speakeasy in the basement.
2. Neon Museum
[caption id="attachment_33952" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Facebook[/caption]The Neon Museum is one of the city's well-known and celebrated outdoor museums. It's a very important museum because it showcases the evolution and history of the eye-catching and bright neon signs Las Vegas is famous for. The museum is divided into two sections, the Neon Boneyard North Gallery and the Neon Boneyard Main Collection. It features more than 200 neon signs from famous attractions and casinos of the past years. From the old-school resort's signs from names like Lady Luck, the Golden Nugget, and Stardust to the towering Hard Rock Café Guitar. This museum is best explored at night when the bright lights are lit.
3. The Atomic Museum
[caption id="attachment_33953" align="alignnone" width="799"]
Facebook[/caption]Did you know that Nevada played a huge role in atomic bombs? Well, you can learn about this at the Atomic Museum. It's one of the 27 national museums in the U.S. and an affiliate partner of the Smithsonian Institution.
Some of the rarest artifacts about the U.S. atomic testing program are housed in the 8,000 Square feet museum. Its highlights include a piece of the Berlin Wall, survey meters, and the original bombshell built for the Trinity gadget.
4. Las Vegas Natural History Museum
[caption id="attachment_33954" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Facebook[/caption]The Las Vegas National History Museum explores the prehistoric era, the modern world, and the millions of years in between. It does so using the dedicated exhibit sections that provide deep insight into the world around. It's also an ideal spot for a family-friendly outing.
The museum has everything from Ice Age mammals and dinosaurs to minerals and gems and Egyptian mummies. There's a perfect blend of interactive displays, educational resources, interactive displays, special events, and optional tours all year round.
The crowd favorite is the marine life section featuring real stingrays and sharks swimming in giant tanks; the same applies to the Sunday storytime sessions and the extinct animal skeletons.
5. Zak Bagans' The Haunted Museum
[caption id="attachment_33955" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Facebook[/caption]Zak Bagan's The Haunted Museum is for those adrenaline junkies looking to get scared. This self-proclaimed "extreme" museum of the paranormal contains haunted objects such as cursed paintings and demonic dolls.
The museum is home to the world's spookiest and largest collection of haunted items. We're talking paintings by serial killer John Wayne Gacy, the original staircase from the Indiana "Demon House", Bela Lugosi's mirror, Ted Bundy's glasses, and Charles Manson's ashes. There are also flashlight ghost tours where visitors wander the halls of the haunted mansion at night.
6. Shelby American, Inc.
[caption id="attachment_33956" align="alignnone" width="720"]
Facebook[/caption]Shelby American is one of the best museums dedicated to American cars in Las Vegas. If you're a car enthusiast, you'll enjoy the shiny, gorgeous cars in the heritage hall showroom. The museum is dedicated to Carroll Shelby.
The tour guides take visitors on a tour as they answer Shelby-related questions. Here, you hear of the fascinating tales of the Shelby vs. Ferrari Le Man races. They also have a merchandise shop. General admission is $20, light shows are $20, and a guided night tour is $28. Members get in free.
7. Titanic: The Artifact Museum
[caption id="attachment_33957" align="alignnone" width="363"]
Facebook[/caption]The Titanic: The Artifact Museum provides an accurate and fascinating recreation of the ship's decks, passenger areas, and cabins. Here, you'll find more than 250 objects that were recovered from the wreck (including clothing, jewelry, china, and personal items) and interactive exhibits replicating life on the cruiser.
8. Nevada State Museum
[caption id="attachment_33958" align="alignnone" width="768"]
Facebook[/caption]The Nevada State Museum is ideal for history buffs because of the interesting cultural and natural history information and artifacts. The museum covers millions of years of human life, animals, culture, and land. Also, you'll find information on America's atomic era, the construction of Hoover Dam, and the first humans to settle in Nevada. Their collection has a 13-foot articulated mammoth skeleton and a huge collection of Native American art.
9. Pinball Hall of Fame
[caption id="attachment_33959" align="alignnone" width="768"]
Facebook[/caption]The Pinball Hall of Fame is home to a collection of pinball machines worldwide. If you're a fan of silver balls, you'll enjoy visiting the museum. There’s also athere'sange of more than 200 games on pinball machines from the 50 to the 90s.