Major Museums
From the The Mob Museum to Native American history and culture, the Las Vegas area contains many different types of museums. Come and experience the beauty and natural history of the region.
Atomic Testing Museum/NTS Historical Foundation
The museum, which opened in March 2005, documents the history of nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site in the desert north of Las Vegas. nationalatomictestingmuseum.org
Bodies the Exhibition - The Luxor Las Vegas
Celebrate the wonder of the human form at Bodies, The Exhibition, a unique show about the amazing and complex machine we call the human body. luxor.com/entertainment/bodies.aspx
Boulder City - Hoover Dam Museum
The Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum tells the story of the Boulder Canyon Project as it was experienced by the men and women who braved the Southern Nevada desert to build Hoover Dam and Boulder City. http://www.travelnevada.com/discover/unique-nevada/hoover-dam
Bruno’s Indian Museum
Located in Boulder City, this museum features a large collection of turquoise as well as an art gallery and studio where you can see artists at work. 1306 Nevada Highway, Boulder City, Nv. 702-293-4865
Carroll Shelby Museum
Located at the entrance of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Carroll Shelby Museum exhibits rare cars, historic racers and unique memorabilia. https://www.shelby.com/en-us/Home/topic/museum/art/SHC
Central Nevada Museum
This museum chronicles important events and figures that left their mark on Nye, Esmeralda county, and other surrounding areas in central Nevada. tonopahnevada.com
Clark County Heritage Museum
Located on the edge of the Valley, the Clark County Heritage Museum provides hours of fun while teaching visitors about the rich and colorful history of Las Vegas and its surrounding communities.
Discovery Children's Museum
Since opening to the public in September 1990, Lied Discovery Children’s Museum has established itself as an important community resource, becoming one of the metropolitan area’s major educational institutions serving children and families. discoverykidslv.org
Goldwell Open Air Museum
Located just outside the ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada, this museum is a 7.8 acre outdoor sculpture park that features the work of Belgian artist Albert Szukalski. Admission is free and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. goldwellmuseum.org
Hammargren Home of Nevada History
Dr. Hammargren’s home is famous for historical collections of Nevada history. There, you can expect to find Las Vegas memorabilia, signs, stage production props and other unique artifacts from around the world. nevadadays.org
Howard W. Cannon Aviation Museum
Physically located inside the McCarran International Airport, this museum provides visitors with the history of commercial and general aviation in southern Nevada. The collection starts with the first flight in 1920, and continues through the introduction of jets. https://www.mccarran.com/Museum
Hollywood Car Museum
Open daily, Hollywood Car Museum is a giant museum that showcases movie-star automobiles including Herbie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang & Bond cars.” http://hollywoodcarsmuseum.com/
Las Vegas Natural History Museum
Through its interactive exhibits, educational programs and the preservation of its collections, the museum promotes an understanding and appreciation of the world’s wildlife, ecosystems and cultures. The most recent exhibit is located in the Egyptian Pavilion and features a replica of King Tut’s Tomb, the greatest archaeological find in the world’s history. lvnhm.org
Lost City Museum
Located on an actual archaeological site at Pueblo Grande de Nevada (Nevada’s Lost City), this museum interprets the artifacts left behind by the Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) occupation of the Moapa Valley from the 1st through 13th centuries A.D. https://lostcitymuseum.org/
Lost Vegas Historic Gambling Museum and Store
Located at downtown Neonopolis, this museum features more than 5,000 unique historic items and memorabilia chronicling the city’s past. The retail gift shop offers a wide array of souvenirs, like hotel ashtrays and matchbooks.
The Mob Museum
Located in the heart of downtown Las Vegas on Stewart Avenue and Third Street, this museum is an interactive attraction showcasing the history of Las Vegas's famed gangsters. themobmuseum.org
Neon Museum
The Neon Museum was established in 1996 to collect and exhibit neon signs, the classic Las Vegas art form. Dedicated individuals from the private sector as well as corporate and government entities have worked tirelessly to promote the preservation of these national treasures. The Neon Museum’s mission is to collect, preserve, study and exhibit neon signs and associated artifacts to inspire educational and cultural enrichment for diverse members of our community. Refurbished signs are on display throughout the city and the self-guided walking tour is highly recommended. neonmuseum.org
Nevada State Museum and Historical Society
The Nevada State Museum & Historical Society presents exhibits on the early people and history of southern Nevada, fossils, important geological formations and the state’s plants and animals. The research library specializes in historic newspaper indexes, materials on microfilm, map, photograph and manuscript collections. https://www.lasvegasnvmuseum.org/
Searchlight Museum
Located in the Searchlight Community Center, the museum focuses on this fascinating historical community founded in 1898. Searchlight takes its name from the Searchlight Mine. The local mining history is a prominent part of the museum’s display.
Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Art
The museum features more than 7,000 square feet of exhibit area with a main gallery, a special exhibitions gallery and a small works gallery. Plans include an expansion into the adjacent space for a gallery dedicated to bigger works like sculptures. The museum opened in 2003 and can be found in the Neonopolis (at the Fremont Experience). snmfa.com
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
Located in the Luxor Las Vegas, the 25,000-square-foot exhibit features numerous items from the Titanic, including luggage, whistles, floor tiles from the first-class smoking room, a window frame from the Verandah Cafe and an unopened bottle of champagne with a 1900 vintage. In addition, the exhibit features a piece of Titanic’s hull, a full-scale recreation of the Grand Staircase, as well as a newly expanded outer Promenade Deck...complete with the frigid temperatures felt on that fateful April night. luxor.com/entertainment/titanic.aspx
UNLV Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History
Located on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus, the Marjorie Barrick Museum educates visitors about the native cultures of the southwest United States and Mesoamerica. The exhibit hall also features a 2,500 square foot area hosting international, national and regional works. unlv.edu/barrickmuseum
Walker African-American Museum
This part museum & part research center is designed to preserve and promote the history of African Americans. This temporary location offers a variety of materials including books, magazines, dolls, stamps, postcards and trade cards documenting the accomplishments of people of African-Americans. https://www.facebook.com/walkeraamuseum705
