Tag: downtown

Neon Museum | Las Vegas History Through Neon

by Denise Marie

Established in the 1990’s in downtown Las Vegas, NV, the Neon Museum has an extensive collection of neon signs that once illuminated the city’s casinos and other businesses. Today, the museum is also part of a public art trail that runs from downtown to the Las Vegas Strip.

Click to visit the Neon Museum website

Collection Highlights

The main building at the Neon Museum is part of the La Concha Motel, which was originally built in the early 1960’s along the southbound side of Las Vegas Boulevard. Having a distinct parabolic facade with futuristic elements, the motel’s innovative architecture is attributed to Paul Revere Williams. Unfortunately, the historic motel was demolished in 2005 to make way for other modern developments. The Neon Museum acquired the motel’s unique lobby and several signs before the demolition.

After exploring the La Concha lobby, visitors could check out the Neon Boneyard Main Collection. This outdoor exhibit includes more than 200 neon signs that once stood throughout Las Vegas. For example, the Neon Boneyard includes a gigantic guitar-shaped sign from the iconic Hard Rock Cafe. This section of the museum also features a neon sign of the Riviera Hotel, which stood next to the original La Concha Motel.

The North Gallery presents plenty of other signature neon signs from the city’s casinos, resorts, restaurants and other businesses. Standing above a grassy median that divides Las Vegas Boulevard, the Silver Slipper sign points towards the museum. This gigantic shoe-shaped sign was taken from the Silver Slipper Casino, which opened its doors on the Las Vegas Strip in the early 1950’s.

The museum roughly marks the northern end of the Restored Las Vegas Neon Signs Tour, which is a public arts initiative. Visitors who follow this urban tour will see nine signature signs in the downtown district and on the Strip. Most of the refurbished installations stand on Las Vegas Boulevard. The self-guided walking tour ends near the Landmark Sign at the corner of Paradise Road and Sahara Avenue.

Location and Travel Advice

Situated on Las Vegas Boulevard North in downtown Las Vegas, NV, the Neon Museum is easily accessible by car and public transportation. Bus route 113 of RTC Transit stops on the northbound and southbound sides of the busy boulevard near the museum. If the on-site parking is full, additional space is available at the adjacent Harris Avenue parking lot. Additionally, this specialty museum is within walking distance of hotels and casinos on the historic Fremont Street in the heart of downtown.

Click to visit the Neon Museum official website.

Note: This information can change without notice. Confirm all details directly with the attraction in question.

Fremont Street Experience | Join the Party in Downtown Vegas!

by Denise Marie

The Fremont Street Experience is one of the top attractions in downtown Las Vegas, NV. Some of the district’s most iconic hotels and casinos are based at this mixed-used hub that has a vintage Sin City flair. Free concerts, zip lines and laser light shows are some notable features of this pedestrian mall along historic Fremont Street.

Click for more details on the Fremont Street Experience

Highlights

Some of the best hotels in downtown Las Vegas are located at the Fremont Street Experience. There are plenty of gaming opportunities at the casinos of the Golden Gate, Golden Nugget, Fremont and Four Queens hotels. You can also win some high-stakes games at the Binion’s Gambling Hall. Intimate bars with vintage themes, chic lounges, casual eateries and upscale restaurants are some of the premium amenities at the district’s hotels.

Sponsored by the local casinos, free music concerts are hosted by the Fremont Street Experience from the spring to fall. Some of the biggest names in rock perform at this cool venue in the heart of Vegas.

The Viva Vision Light Show presents dazzling visual and booming audio effects inside the Fremont Street Experience. Cutting-edge optical technology transforms the vaulted roof of the mall into a stunning spectacle. More than 12.5 million LED bulbs illuminate the interior of the shopping mall. Rock, pop and dance songs are also synchronized with the striking laser effects. More than 500,000 acoustic watts resonate through the retail hub during the Viva Vision Light Show.

Featuring a gigantic figure of a classic slot machine, the SlotZilla Zip Line is another signature attraction at the venue. The standard experience gives you access to a zip line that’s seven stories high. With an upgrade to the Zoomline, you’ll soar 11 floors above the ground. Awesome costumes of iconic superheroes, such as the Power Rangers and Superman, are available at the SlotZilla Zip Line.

Location and Getting There

Spanning several blocks between Main Street and North 4th Street, the Fremont Street Experience is one of the most exciting attractions in downtown Las Vegas. The Regional Transportation Commission offers convenient bus services that stop near this indoor shopping mall. Some RTC routes that serve this vibrant district include the DEUCE, WAX and SDX. Interstate 515 merges with Las Vegas Boulevard North near this popular complex.

Click to visit theÂ Fremont Street Experience official website.

Note: This information can change without notice. Confirm all details directly with the company in question.

The Mob Museum | Presents a History of Organized Crime & Law Enforcement

by Denise Marie

Located in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, The Mob Museum presents the history of organized crime in the United States. Housed in a historic Neoclassical building that was once a courthouse, the museum features more than a dozen permanent exhibits on American mobs. Click to book admission to The Mob Museum.

Highlights

The first floor of The Mob Museum features the 100 Years of Made Men exhibit. Crude Mugshots, elegant portraits and undercover photos of infamous American criminals are displayed at this gallery. The Wall of Infamy highlights key individuals who shaped the growth of major American cities, including Las Vegas. At Listening In, you can tune into recordings of mobsters and their affiliates. The Organized Crime Today exhibit focuses on the contemporary criminal enterprises in America and worldwide.

Other highlights on the first level of the museum include the Firearm Training Simulator and Crime Lab Experience. Both facilities provide behind-the-scenes views of law enforcement. Carbon-powered firearms allow guests to take aim at wall-mounted targets. Forensic criminal analysis is also covered in the genuine lab-type setting.

Mob’s Greatest Hits is installed on the second level of The Mob Museum. This gallery includes authentic weapons that have been recovered from arrested mobsters. Pistols with silencers and poison-filled vials are on display at this section. The second floor also includes the Web of Deceit and Open City exhibits. Additionally, you can learn about the Kefauver Hearings that focused on nationwide organized crime in the 1950’s.

The third level of the building has original artifacts relating to the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, which occurred in Chicago in 1929. A brick wall from the infamous crime scene is featured in the exhibit. Other galleries on the upper level include the Feds Fight Back, Follow the Money and Tough Little Town.

Location and How to Get There

The Mob Museum stands on Stewart Avenue in downtown Las Vegas, NV. Hourly rates are charged for the museum’s on-site parking lot, and there are plenty of parking options available at neighboring casinos and shopping centers.

Offering fare-free service, the Downtown Loop stops near this attraction and other major local venues, such as the Fremont Street Experience. This shuttle also serves the Bonneville Transit Center, which has several platforms for Regional Transportation Commission buses. Some of the RTC buses at this transfer hub link the downtown area with the Las Vegas Strip.

Click to visit The Mob Museum official website or click to book admission to The Mob Museum.

Note: This information can change without notice. Confirm all details directly with the company in question.