If there’s one attraction that was long on my Las Vegas bucket list, it was the Neon Museum. We didn’t have time during my first trip over a decade ago, so I booked my ticket well in advance for an evening tour after a day at work. Also known as the Neon Boneyard, this is where the neon signs went to die.
Nothing stays forever in Las Vegas, including those intricately made signs that bring in tourists. If a casino becomes too old or outdated, it’s demolished to make room for something else. But thankfully some forward-thinking locals decided to save these neon reminders, art pieces in their own right, for generations of travelers to appreciate, long after their buildings are dust.
Signs were first placed around Fremont Street before the official opening of the museum. In 2012, the current two-acre location opened in the former La Concha building, designed by famed architect Paul Williams. Over 200 signs now line the pathways through the property, including some that have been fully restored.
Some are in working order, plugged in at night, while others are lit with different colors of lights at their base. This is what makes nightfall the best time to experience the Neon Museum.
The Neon Museum showcases the history of Las Vegas, starting with the oldest sign in the collection, pictured above. Guided tours lasting one hour run daily, but you can also take a self-guided tour of a few of the signs including ones from The Silver Slipper and Binion’s Horseshoe.
Some of the signs you’ll see are older versions of the current ones while others were donated here after the casinos closed. Stardust, Sahara, and Riviera are just a few of these, where The Rat Pack had their pictures taken. Others are for everything from restaurants to hotels to the iconic Vegas wedding chapels.
It’s this experience that lets you get up close with the signs, each with colorful tubing in intricate designs that came out of someone’s mind. They were made to draw people in, to provide them with important information, and even to be creative.
It might have been the steakhouse that proudly proclaims STEAKS. Or a clover to indicate that you might find luck in a particular gambling hall. Signs just aren’t made this way anymore, for better or for worse. I’m so glad I got to experience them firsthand.
Tips for Visiting the Neon Museum
Tours of Neon Museum should be booked in advance to avoid showing up for a sold out tour. Day tours are $19 while night tours are $25. Parking is included, but you can also take an Uber from the casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, as I did. Public buses also run nearby.
One of the tour docents told me that the best time to see the signs is a tour that starts just before dusk, so that you see them in both the day and night – hours depending on time of year.
I would also recommend against the public bus option you mention to get there, particularly at night in that neighborhood.