The Neon Museum has been open for around 5 years and gives a real deep insight of how things have changed from the old Las Vegas through the eyes of the signs that used to adorn the strip.
The first sign that was a part of the opening was the Hacienda Horse and Rider that sits at the intersection of Fremont St and Las Vegas Boulevard. This was the first restored sign the company did. From then on it grew and grew to what it is today. Almost two acres of dedicated space to the world of neon.
The Las Vegas Boneyard
The actual neon boneyard is home to almost 200 old neon signs with which 11 have been fully restored. There is a visitor’s center which was part of the La Concha Motel, and there is also the Boneyard North gallery that’s home to many other signs which have been rescued and is also used for functions and weddings,etc.
Although the tours only take an hour or so, it does give an excellent insight into the past and how things have changed. It is however advised that daytime tours for children over 10 are best, and night tours are best for children over twelve. It is a bit of a shame as there can e broken thelight glass and sharp rusty edges from the signs that could ruin your day.
Restored signs are also scattered around Vegas and can be viewed as public art. These are self-guided, and locations are available to anyone who is interested.
Each of the signs has a rich history, from the creator and what their inspiration was, and where and when it was made. The history also details how and why it was fitted into the culture and development of the old Las Vegas NV.
La Concha Motel
The visitor’s center being inside the La Concha Motel Lobby adds a unique twist to a building which is in itself pretty unique. La Concha Motel is shell-shaped, and the design stemmed from amid-century modernistic model that was based on Atomic and space-ageconcepts. The building itself had such a great history and was constructed in 1961 on Las Vegas Boulevard. In 2005 it was saved from demolition and was transferred to its current location and used as the Neon Museums visitor’s center.
Although the tours are not long,it is a great place to spend an hour, and you are guaranteed never to visit any place like it in the world.
