AN ENLIGHTENING EVOLUTION

from Sunseeker - Spring 2022 - West Coast Edition

by nonstoplife

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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 docentled 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

The new iteration of “Brilliant!” — “Brilliant! Jackpot” — features unique visuals and music reflective of different eras of Las Vegas history

The “Las Vegas Luminaries” mural on the North Gallery’s south wall is viewable to the public for free

Guided evening tours of the Neon Boneyard are now available in English and Spanish

Several signs by Tim Burton, including his 30-foothigh Neon Grid Wall and Lost Vegas Sign Tower, currently reside in the Neon Boneyard underrepresented icons who made great contributions to Las Vegas’ cultural history — like Betty Willis. Best known as the designer of the Moulin Rouge and “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” signs, Willis was one of the only women employed in the commercial sign industry in the 1950s. Last December, the North Gallery also introduced the most significant update yet to its 360-degree audiovisual spectacle, “Brilliant!” Renamed “Brilliant! Jackpot,” the separately ticketed nighttime experience features newly remastered historical video and an expanded playlist of 54 songs, with 56 percent of the music performed by women, LGBTQ artists and musicians of color.

Guests can learn more about “Brilliant! Jackpot” from its creator, experiential designer Craig Winslow, who virtually greets audiences on a 65-inch monitor to explain how he used precise projection mapping to “re-electrify” 40 non-operational signs. The video is one of two new educational components featured in the North Gallery, joining a docent-led neon testing demonstration that teaches guests about the science behind neon signs.

As The Neon Museum continues to present an unparalleled convergence of art and history, Berger hopes guests leave the popular attraction feeling even more enlightened. “I hope visitors will gain an appreciation of our history from different perspectives and a better understanding of the many unique stories that have shaped Las Vegas,” Berger concluded. “There are so many under-told stories, and I hope we can amplify them.” neonmuseum.org

Photos courtesy of The Neon Museum