Sure, the Mob Museum is a hit, and the Neon Museum remains one of the city’s bright spots. But it’s time to give a little love to the smaller, lesser-known, lesser-visited museums of Las Vegas.
Whether you’re an out-of-towner with some time to kill, or a longtime local who wants to dive deeper, we’ve got you covered with these eight museums.
Clark County Museum
If you grew up in Las Vegas, you definitely visited this museum on a field trip. It’s time to revisit the Clark County Museum. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 1830 S. Boulder Highway and with free admission, this one is a treasure trove for history nerds. Check out the modern exhibit hall and the collection of restored, historic buildings depicting daily life from the past.
Erotic Heritage Museum
Don’t bring the kids to this one. The sex-forward and sex-positive museum at 3275 S. Sammy Davis Jr. Drive opened in 2014, showcasing 24,000 square feet of collections and exhibition materials. Sure, some may giggle and blush, but many of the items on display champion the scientific disciplines associated with the natural act. The museum is open Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Fridays through Sundays until 10 p.m. Tickets are $31.95.
Hollywood Cars Museum & Liberace Garage
It’s like Jay Leno’s garage, except it’s in Las Vegas and you can check it out yourself. See cars from “RoboCop,” “Back to the Future,” the car with the 40-foot hot tub and the newer Liberace garage, showcasing the late performer’s crystal-covered Roadster and his “bicentennial” Rolls-Royce. Tickets are only available at the counter (5115 Dean Martin Drive, No. 905) and in cash; kids 16 and younger get in free. Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Aviation Museum
How many times have you sat around Harry Reid International Airport, mindlessly scrolling while waiting for your delayed plane to get there? Did you know you could instead be browsing one of the most interestingly located aviation museums in the nation (at any time of day)? Find this one in Terminal 1 at Concourse D, highlighting the aviation history of Southern Nevada. And don’t miss the replica Bonanza Airlines jet hanging from the ceiling.
Las Vegas Showgirl Museum
For now, this museum is located in a residential mansion. Hopefully, soon, they’ll find a permanent (and larger) home. To book a tour, you must have at least two people, and you can visit at noon or 4 p.m. on most days. Tours cost $33 per person and last about two hours. You’ll see 250 costumed mannequins — delicately dressed in some of the most incredible costumes from Vegas’ showgirl past. Request an appointment at lasvegasshowgirlmuseum.com.
Lost City Museum
Find the deepest history of Las Vegas at this museum, open Tuesdays through Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Overton (721 S. Moapa Valley Blvd.). Built in 1935, the museum was created to exhibit artifacts recovered from local prehistoric archaeological sites, most of which were submerged when Lake Mead was created. Tickets are $8 for adults and free for children 17 and younger.
Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder City
Vegas wouldn’t be here if not for the railroad, so stop by and pay tribute. Tour inside a passenger car from 1899 (rebuilt in 1915), and check out locomotives from the atomic era. The museum also offers permanent exhibits on Nevada rail history, as well as Boulder City rail bike tours for an additional $90 per group of four. Museum entry is $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 4 to 11 at 601 Yucca St.
Punk Rock Museum
Discover punk history and meet your musical heroes downtown at 1422 Western Ave. As the museum comes up on three years in April, stop by for tours led by John Feldman (Goldfinger, March 6), Greg Heston (Circle Jerks and Bad Religion, March 13-15), Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction, March 20-22) and others for a deep dive into the long-lasting counterculture. Regular museum fare is $39 for all ages, and tours are self-guided.
Contact Kristen Di Chiara at [email protected].