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The museums in Las Vegas are so unique and varied that there has to be something for almost anyone’s taste. From art and culture at the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum to family fun at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, and there is always the Las Vegas favorite: the Liberace Museum. You may even be able to uncover some government secrets at the Atomic Testing Museum.
A full day of museuming at the Venetian is convenient and fun. Located right on the Strip, visitors can view real historic pieces of original artwork rotated in and out of the museum. The exhibits are only there for a few months and then safely transported back to the Guggenheim in New York. Classic paintings by Picasso and Monet are often on display. This museum will teach Las Vegas visitors all about classic as well as modern art. The beautifully designed showroom is located near the check-in area at the Venetian. A trip to this museum is a beautiful way to start your vacation.
Another fun-filled museum is also located at the Venetian. Madame Tussauds Wax Museum is fun for the entire family. Guests can walk the planks of the Black Pearl with Captain Jack Sparrow or shoot hoops with Shaquille O Neal. Guests can have a mock audition with Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest from American Idol. The bachelorette can dress in a wedding gown and take wedding pictures with a life-like George Clooney. The rest of the wedding party can get cozy with Hugh Hefner and even enjoy a few fake cocktails for the perfect photo opportunity. Hundred’s of your favorite stars have wax counterparts inside Madame Tussauds.
The famous Liberace museum is probably one of the most elaborate tribute museums in the world. Liberace himself opened the museum in the 1970’s and used the back portion of the building as a rehearsal space. Now the rehearsal area is home to hundreds of his famous glittering suites. Some are encased in glass and some are left out in the open. Many of his suits weigh upwards of 50 lbs including his famous “Lasagna” and “King Neptune” suits. The museum is also home to dozens of his famous pianos and cars. Guests of the museum will also be able to see a collection of Liberace’s jewelry, including a piano shaped ring covered in 260 diamonds. At the end of the tour, enjoy a tribute performance to Liberace as you dine at the café or shop in the gift shop where you can take home lots of glittering treasures that will remind you of your favorite performer.
Nevada has long been famous for its testing of nuclear weapons. The Atomic Testing Museum was founded in 1998 and the building itself has a fun futuristic theme. Any science fiction fan would love a trip to this museum. At the museum you will see movies, artifacts, and even view some interactive areas that will teach all about the testing that goes on in the Nevada desert. Many rumors have often been spread about the secrecy of these tests. The museum will show guests all the references that have been made to atomic testing throughout pop-culture since the 1950’s and you may even be let in on some of the government secrets about what really goes on when testing nuclear weapons out in the Nevada desert.
If you’re looking to enjoy a different side of Las Vegas history, travel all the way to the East end of Fremont Street and visit the Neon Museum. This is where all the old neon signs go after they are taken over by newer and better LCD displays that now almost cover the Las Vegas Strip. In a place already rich with Las Vegas history (the downtown area), lies a tribute to the very first reasons people came to visit Las Vegas- before fountains or gondola rides. People came to Vegas just to see the larger than life neon lights. Now that these lights are no longer needed (and too big to keep anywhere else), an empty lot on Fremont Street, which is known as the “Neon Boneyard” is where these giant signs lay to rest. However, we can still visit them in all their glory and remember Las Vegas’ rich history.
There are so many museums in Vegas that it would be near impossible to see them all on one trip. Also, in Vegas the term “museum” can mean much more than a room full of paintings. There are “museums” here to fit every taste from neon to wax—there is a Las Vegas museum for everyone.
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