“Part history. Part art. Completely awesome.”
There are no truer words that the Neon Museum could say to describe their marvelous collection of vintage neon signs.
Las Vegas is not just about casinos and gambling. It’s a small town that has a big history with lots of fun activities for student tours. Situated only a short distance from The Strip on Las Vegas Boulevard, the Neon Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of neon signs that span across two acres. Founded in 1996, the Museum is “dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying, and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, and cultural enrichment.”
I first saw and heard about the Neon Museum when I was watching the Amazing Race a few years back. It was a featured destination, and I thought it sounded like a really awesome place to visit so much that I put it on my bucket list. Over the holidays, I finally had the pleasure of visiting the Boneyard Park with my family and I was not disappointed!
To see the signs you must take a guided tour either during the day or at night. The tour lasts two hours where the staff point out the most iconic signs and share a brief history about them. With over 150 unrestored signs, each has a unique story that tells of its early beginnings and how it made it to its final resting place. The signs date from the 1930s up to the present day, and are a reminder that these are rescued architectural landmarks from some of the most illustrious Las Vegas properties.
I believe students and educators will thoroughly enjoy a visit here on their educational tour, as the Neon Museum has done an incredible job of showcasing the changes and trends in the design of neon signs and technology from the past to the present. There’s a certain beauty about neon signage that draws you in unlike todays LED video walls that you see up and down The Strip. The charm of neon signs bring you closer so you can hear the hum of the electricity pulsing through with the gas. It’s a vintage art form that should be celebrated and admired, and the Neon Museum has done just that! They have even fully-restored nine signs that visitors to the Las Vegas area can see free of charge along Las Vegas Boulevard.
I leave you today with a simple question; do you like the old-fashioned neon signs of yesterday or do you prefer the LED video walls of the future?
Until next time,
Kate.