Attractions
Neon Museum and Boneyard |
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Neon Museum and Boneyard Details
- Hours of operation: The visitor's center will be open Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Tours of the Neon Boneyard, which last approximately
45 minutes, will be held every 30 minutes beginning at 10 a.m. The last tour departs at 4 p.m. Tour sell out. You should make
reservations in advance.
Note: There are old, restored signs you can see in downtown Las Vegas 24 hours a day, seven days a week. See below to find out more about these signs. - Cost: When the visitors center opens tickets for tours will be $18 for adults; $12 for students with valid ID, senior citizens, veterans and Nevada residents.
- Payment options: Not applicable.
- Reservations: Reservations suggested. Call (702) 387-NEON or visit http://www.neonmuseum.org/
- Location: The Neon Museum and Boneyard is located just north of downtown Las Vegas. Refurbished signs are on display near the Fremont Street Experience.
- Age/Height/Weight restrictions: None.
Neon Museum and Boneyard Review
When tourists think of Las Vegas, naturally their memories flash back to its glittering lights. In addition, their first impression of the city often comes from the world's most famous neon attraction. Designed by Betty Willis, the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada" sign has been greeting visitors at the southern end of the Strip since 1959.
Neon signs, introduced in Las Vegas in 1929 at the Oasis Café on Fremont Street, enjoyed their heyday between the 1930s – 1980s. But as LED and LCD screens began taking over the Las Vegas Strip, many of the old signs were removed. About 20 years ago people from the Allied Arts Council and Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO), the manufacturer responsible for creating a number of the city's neon pieces, began collecting and preserving the old signs.
The Neon Museum was officially established in 1996, the city allocated space in downtown on the east side of Las Vegas Boulevard for the Neon Boneyard. YESCO then donated its retired signs to the fledgling organization. About 40 percent of the Neon Museum's collection originated there, and items from newly imploded or remodeled properties are added continually.
The new visitors center is located adjacent to the curated collection of signs at the boneyard. The center will be in the rehabilitated La Concha Motel lobby, the seashell-shaped, Mid-Century Modern building designed and built by architect Paul Revere Williams. The La Concha used to be located on the Las Vegas Strip next to the Riviera. It was saved from demolition in 2005 and relocated to the Boneyard to become the new visitors center.
There's something surreal about seeing the skeletons of dearly loved signs from Vegas' past as they sit slowly decaying in the desert sun. You'll discover this at the Boneyard, a large lot downtown that's part of the Neon Museum. It's like a graveyard full of electronic fossils. But instead of burial, here retired signs get an afterlife. Saved from the dump, they can be viewed by visitors and their storied backgrounds can be retold.
The Boneyard encompasses two acres forming a divided rectangular parcel. Half of the space makes up the Boneyard. About 120 signs are there. They comprise the curated collection that the public can visit. The other half of the space serves as a staging area for commercial photographers and videographers. The Boneyard is fenced off and located directly behind the new visitors center. Adjacent to the Neon Museum is an additional acre of space being used by The Neon Boneyard Park. Along with benches, tables, a stage, informational kiosks and a parking area, there is a giant sign that welcomes visitors featuring replicas of letters from iconic casino signage.
If you're unable to visit the Neon Museum or you just want even more neon signage, check out the restored signs displayed around downtown Las Vegas. The Neon Museum has been restoring and displaying signs as public art installations. Although you can see them at any time of the day, these cultural icons truly shine in the evening. Refurbished signs -- including The Hacienda Horse and Rider and the original Aladdin's Lamp -- are part of a self-guided walking tour near Fremont Street Experience. The sparkling high-heeled shoe from the Silver Slipper Gambling Hall is among the signs that have been placed on medians along Las Vegas Boulevard, between Bonanza Road and Washington Avenue, as part of the Scenic Byways beautification plan.
Restored signs include:
The Hacienda Horse and Rider
Location: The intersection of the Fremont Street Experience and Las Vegas Boulevard.
Origin: Part of the Hacienda Hotel, 1967
Aladdin's Lamp
Location:The northwest corner of the Fremont Street Experience and Las Vegas Boulevard
Origin:Part of the Aladdin Hotel, 1966
The Flame Restaurant
Location:The southwest corner of the Fremont Street Experience and Las Vegas Boulevard
Origin:Part of the restaurant of the same name, 1961.
Chief Hotel Court
Location:The northeast corner of the Fremont Street Experience and 4thStreet.
Origin:Part of the Chief Hotel, 1940s.
Andy Anderson
Location:The southeast corner of the Fremont Street Experience and 4thStreet.
Origin:Part of the Anderson Dairy building, 1956.
Wedding Information
Location:Neonopolis, near the Fremont Street Experience
Origin:Unknown, 1940s.
Red Barn
Location:Neonopolis, near the Fremont Street Experience
Origin:Part of the bar of the same name, 1960.
Nevada Motel
Location:Neonopolis, near the Fremont Street Experience
Origin:Part of the Nevada Motel, 1950.
Dot's Flowers
Location:Neonopolis, near the Fremont Street Experience
Origin:Part of the Dot's Flowers floral shop, 1949.
5th StreetLiquor
Location:Neonopolis, near the Fremont Street Experience
Origin:Part of the 5th Street Liquor store, 1946.
Visitors can also drive by more restored signs on the National Scenic Byway, located along Las Vegas Boulevard between Sahara and Washington Avenue. These include the Silver Slipper, the Binion's Horseshoe the Bow & Arrow Motel sign.
-- Review by Renee LiButti
