Las Vegas’ Neon Museum
Binion’s Horseshoe Sign
Las Vegas Club
Admittedly, I learned about Las Vegas’ Neon Museum from an Amazing Race episode where contestants were asked to grab a lightbulb from the museum’s Neon Boneyard.
The collection looked incredible on my TV, so I scheduled a visit the next time I visited Sin City.
Steiner’s Cleaners’ “Happy Shirt”
The Neon Museum has an impressive outdoor collection of Las Vegas’ iconic casino and other (equally elaborate) business signs. Choose a guided tour at dusk so you can see the signs in twilight. Once it gets dark, some signs are self-illuminated and others are lit by museum-furnished accent lighting. The tour follows a one-way path through the Boneyard, accompanied by a guide’s commentary. Photos are encouraged!
The signs are displayed artfully, grouped by scale and installation to provide maximum aesthetic effect. Many signs are completely illuminated and recently restored, but others (or whatever pieces are left of the sign) show extensive signs of deterioration. The juxtaposition of new and old, whole signs and partial, keeps visitors engaged. There is so much to look at!
It is a thoroughly inspiring experience to see the signs up close and appreciate the creativity, money, and craft that business owners and makers invested in these signs to make their establishments stand out in a town where everything glitters for attention.
Stardust Hotel sign with Riviera and Hard Rock Café guitar in the distance
Yucca Motel
Miscellaneous signs
The Sahara
The tail end of the Fitzgeralds sign
The Red Barn (the martini glass on the left would “fill” as lights traveled up the stem of the glass)
A look back at the Neon Museum Boneyard
Miscellaneous signs
Hard Rock Café (82’ tall & restored in 2019)
The Golden Nugget
Silver Slipper Sign (background)
Jerry’s Nugget