CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF THE MOB MUSEUM

Celebrating 10 years of

The Mob Museum Marking a major milestone in Downtown Las Vegas

By Yvonne Newman

As soon as The Mob Museum, The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement opened on February 14, 2012, no trip to the Entertainment Capital of the World was complete without a visit.

Tourists haven’t been the only ones championing it, as locals love this interactive attraction, too. Everyone has made The Mob Museum their own, coming back time and again to immerse themselves in the true stories of organized crime in America and how it’s combated.

“More than 3 million guests have visited the museum and experienced our diverse exhibits and programs, all designed to advance the public’s understanding of organized crime’s history and impact on American society,” said Jonathan Ullman, president and CEO of The Mob Museum.

Over the past decade, The Mob Museum garnered loads of accolades, including being named one of National Geographic’s Top 10 Things to Do in Las Vegas and USA Today’s Best Museum in Nevada, while The New York Times also called it “a must for travelers.”

The idea for The Mob Museum originated with former Mayor Oscar Goodman, who began his career as a defense attorney for notorious figures like Meyer Lansky and Tony Spilotro.

Housed in a landmark building at 300 Stewart Avenue that originally opened in 1933 as a post office and federal courthouse, it contains three floors and a basement densely packed with artifacts, videos and multimedia exhibits.

The Mob Museum launch coincided with the anniversary of the 1929 St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Among its original permanent exhibits is the brick wall that absorbed the bullets aimed at seven mobsters believed to have been lined up and shot dead by Al Capone’s Chicago outfit as well as a series of photos displaying “Made Men” in mafia history, wiretap recordings and much more.

An expansion in 2018 added a firearm training simulator and hands-on crime lab encompassing DNA profiling, fingerprint analysis, forensics and ballistics, along with The Underground distillery and speakeasy that serves its own moonshine-based cocktails.

Among The Mob Museum’s latest developments is The Fabulous Flamingo exhibit, showcasing rare artifacts like original builder Billy Wilkerson’s down payment check for the land and a legal document signed by Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel.

The Mob Museum will host a special event — The Fabulous Flamingo: Bugsy, Billy, Virginia and the Making of Modern Las Vegas — on December 14, 2021 in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Flamingo Resort & Casino. Authors Larry Gragg and W.R. Wilkerson III and journalist Lissa Townsend Rodgers will recount its dramatic origins and enduring impact on Las Vegas, while highlighting the roles of iconic figures.

A lavish Undercover of the Night Gala is also set to mark The Mob Museum’s 10th year on February 17, 2022. Co-hosted by honorary chairs, Mayors Carolyn and Oscar Goodman, attendees will enjoy gourmet food, specialty cocktails, live entertainment and the exclusive opportunity to experience firsthand accounts from undercover agents about their time in the field.

“We are immensely proud of our accomplishments — preserving history, sharing fascinating insights and exposing diverse audiences to a wide range of important topics relating to the criminal justice system,” added Ullman, “and we look forward to bringing more enlightening and meaningful programming for years to come.” themobmuseum.org