The Las Vegas Neon Museum

The Las Vegas Neon Museum has turned into a popular attraction thanks to this organization striving to preserve the iconic glowing symbols of the past. Many classic neon signs from the 1930s through the present day are displayed by this museum as exhibits in the downtown Las Vegas area. By day, the signs look like lifeless old antiques, while at night they definitely come back to life with a buzzing glow. The downtown Las Vegas Neon Museum exhibit walking tour certainly is an interesting activity that will inspire nostalgic memories for many years to come. 

The Neon Museum Visitor Center is located in the old historic La Concha Motel Lobby at 770 Las Vegas Blvd North. This location is within walking distance of Fremont Street and it is close to Cashman Center. The locations of the neon exhibits around town  and self guided tour information are available here. The La Concha was designed by Paul Williams, who was one of the most famous Afro American architects of the 20th century. This landmark was moved from the Las Vegas Strip to North Las Vegas Boulevard some time ago. Moving a building like this was a major undertaking and it was well worth the effort to preserve this historic landmark. 

The Neon Boneyard Park is located directly behind the La Concha Motel Lobby. The Neon Boneyard is where a vast collection of Las Vegas neon signs are stored, till they find a fitting home in the downtown area. Tours of the Neon Boneyard are an interesting thing to do, because the guides provide plenty of background information for each old sign. The Neon Boneyard has become a popular place for special events and many weddings take place here.  Guided tours of the Neon Boneyard can be booked in advance and all information is posted at the  Las Vegas Neon Museum website. This museum is privately funded and donations are greatly appreciated. 

The Neon Museum antique sign exhibits can be found in three areas of downtown Las Vegas. The Neon Boneyard is the only part of the Neon Museum that requires a guided tour. Both the Downtown Gallery and The Las Vegas Signs Project viewing areas are where the functional neon signs are displayed in public areas. Both of these neon exhibit areas are easy to find and there are plenty of entertaining options along the way.

The Downtown Gallery exhibits are located in high pedestrian traffic areas. Neon signs of the past are scattered throughout downtown and the highest concentration can be seen where the Fremont Street Experience and East Fremont Street meet at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard. The Neonopolis building sits at this corner and this place hosts many of the oldest antique neon signs, so touring this exhibit area simply is a must to do! Antique neon exhibits can be seen in any direction that one walks from this point, so one might say that the Neonopolis building is the best place to start a foot tour.

The Las Vegas Signs Project exhibit area runs from Fremont Street to Sahara on Las Vegas Boulevard. The side streets that parallel the boulevard also are home to several neon exhibits. This long exhibit corridor does require quite a bit of footwork, but the effort is rewarding, especially if you happen to be a fan of glowing neon lights! 

Walking is the best way to see all of the neon signs that are on display in downtown Las Vegas, but some folks may dread this thought when the triple digit temperatures of summer arrive. There are local tour bus companies that specialize in tours of all the Neon Museum sites, which is an appealing option for hot summer days. Touring the the exhibit areas by day and once again after dark will enhance the experience. The night tour sure is captivating, because the visual effect of the buzzing neon glow is so mesmerizing! Visions of the past and conditions of the present are all revealed by the neon lights. There is no better place than Las Vegas to experience classic neon and this is all the motivation need for checking out the Neon Museum while in town!