Las Vegas Neon Museum Review – Everything You Should Know!

The Neon Museum was founded in 1996 and is a nonprofit with the mission of “Collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment”.

The museum documents the rich history of a city that finds itself in a constant state of reinvention.

Over 800 signs from about 200 Las Vegas properties are currently on display, some of which have been restored to working order. Many of the casinos they advertise have been gone for some time, while some are still open for business.

I thought it would be fun to swing by the Neon Museum (I’ve been there a few times now) to give you an idea of what to expect and help you determine if it deserves to be on your itinerary.

My Neon Museum Experience

I started my recent visit to the Neon Museum in the lobby on a 96-degree day trying to take in as much water as possible before spending an hour in the desert sun.

This isn’t just any lobby though – Absolutely not.

This shell-shaped relic served as the La Concha Motel lobby, a Strip motel that opened in 1961 just south of the Riviera.

The motel closed in 2004 and later met the wrecking ball. La Concha’s lobby, however, was disassembled and with the aid of $600,000 in donations, given a new lease on life as the Neon Museum’s first stop for visitors.  

The tour hadn’t even started and my imagination was already running wild. Can you imagine what those walls had seen and heard over the years?  

I even tried to set an over/under for the number of cigarettes that had been smoked in the lobby throughout the years. I came up with 2,500 as a fair figure.

The Neon Museum offers opportunities to tour the boneyard both during the day and at night.  

While they offer relatively cheap “General Admission” tickets that allow guests to explore the museum on their own, I opted to pay a few bucks more for a “Guided Tour” and didn’t regret that decision.

Obviously, signs from legendary properties like Caesars Palace, Stardust, Moulin Rouge, and Golden Nugget are instantly recognizable, however, the guide was able to provide additional information about other more obscure signs that I would’ve overlooked otherwise.

Guided Tours are now only offered at night, and I’d highly recommend going that route. Not only do the guides provide a ton of value, but the visual appeal of the museum after dark is hard to overstate.

One of the more unique aspects of the Neon Museum is how they display the signs. While typical museums display artifacts very neatly and “one at a time”, The Neon Museum has layers of signs that almost appear to be haphazardly thrown along the trail.

Within those layers of signs were hidden gems or “Easter eggs” that were fun finds. Examples of those hidden little tidbits were gold coins from the Fitzgeralds sign, Googie stars from Stardust’s marquee, and a number of individual letters from signs like Sahara that were instantly recognizable by their color and font.

Especially for those who experienced Vegas of yesteryear, the display will leave you feeling plenty nostalgic. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.

After the tour, guests are released into the gift shop which offers unique books and memorabilia that celebrates the history of Las Vegas.

Here are a few pictures of the boneyard, which are provided by the Neon Museum (because they are a better photographer than I am).

Is The Neon Museum Worth Doing?

100% yes.

The displays, even during the day, are incredible. Again, I recommend taking a guided tour, as the knowledge shared really enhanced my experience.

I wouldn’t have paid much attention to some of the more obscure signs without their insight which made the trip much more educational.

If you have the time, invest in the “Double The Glow” experience, which combines an evening guided tour with the Brilliant! Jackpot light show.

If you’re unfamiliar, Brilliant! Jackpot is a choreographed light show that brings signs in the Neon Museum’s North Gallery to life with projection technology – See my full Brilliant! Jackpot review, here.

For my money, the Neon Museum ranks among the best things to do in Vegas besides gambling.

If Las Vegas history is even of remote interest, or if you’re a traveler that has been coming to town for a long time and want to turn back the clock, the Neon Museum is a nostalgic must-see.

The crew at the boneyard is clearly passionate, and do a fantastic job articulating the history of each piece as you make your way through the museum and it’s certainly worth the money and the time. 

Ensure you book your Neon Museum tickets early as slots fill quickly!

Neon Museum Prices

There are three tiers of tickets for the Neon Museum:

• General Admission tickets allow you to explore the boneyard for up to an hour and cost $20 or $16 for locals with a Nevada ID. Kids under 6 years old are free.

• Guided Tours provides a 45-minute walking tour of the Neon Museum with a knowledgeable guide and costs $28 or $24 for locals. Again, kids under 6 years old are free. This is the Tour I opted for, and would highly recommend it as a ton of historical facts are shared that greatly enhance the experience.

• Brilliant! Jackpot shows are 45 minutes and cost $23 or $19 for locals. Kids under 6 years old are free.