LAS VEGAS
MUSEUMS & EXHIBITS
AN ENLIGHTENING EVOLUTION
THE NEON MUSEUM CONTINUES TO SHINE A LIGHT ON LAS VEGAS’ HISTORY
By Heather Turk
The Moulin Rouge sign was re-illuminated in 2020
Photos courtesy of The Neon Museum
One of Las Vegas’ most illuminating attractions continues to dazzle guests with exciting new enhancements as it gets ready to celebrate its 10th anniversary at its current location this fall. Founded in 1996 as a way to collect, preserve, study and exhibit some of the city’s iconic signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment, The Neon Museum is situated on a 2.27-acre campus in downtown Las Vegas. Guests can schedule a self-guided tour of its outdoor exhibition space, the Neon Boneyard, during the day to see the museum’s ever-growing collection of signs, including four by Tim Burton that remained on display after the filmmaker’s special exhibition concluded at the museum in 2020. Additionally, guided tours are available at night to see the collection dramatically lit up — including nearly two dozen re-illuminated signs — and learn more about the history of certain pieces. While docent-
led tours were previously only offered in English, Spanish tours were added in 2021 every Thursday through Saturday evening. The museum is hoping to add guided tours in Asian languages soon, as well as additional programs to broaden its educational experience. “I hope to launch a program that enables visitors to see neon being made so they can better appreciate the complexities of the craft,” Aaron Berger, executive director of The Neon Museum, explained. “We also plan to launch new tours in 2022 that focus on specific historical angles as told through our collection, like the experiences of the Black, LGBTQ and Hispanic communities.” A new 808-square-foot mural at The Neon Museum’s recently reimagined North Gallery, “Las Vegas Luminaries,” actually pays tribute to some of the SUNSEEKER
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