Illuminating Las Vegas Tour

Explore the hidden treasures of The Neon Museum with our newest tour: Illuminating Las Vegas.  Shining A Spotlight On New Stories in the Neon Boneyard; a chance to deepen your understanding and appreciation of Las Vegas’ radiant history.

Neon signs, once vibrant symbols of businesses past, find a new life in boneyards, patiently awaiting the chance to share their unique tales. Our Neon Boneyard isn’t merely a final resting place for these signs; it’s a dynamic canvas where lesser-known gems lie concealed behind more prominent display.

During this tour, we peel back the layers of history to reveal the obscured, the overlooked, and often underestimated. The Neon Boneyard’s active layout intentionally conceals signs, creating a vibrant tapestry of narratives waiting to be unveiled. Each sign, though less visible, encapsulates the essence of the people and places that have woven the intricate fabric of Las Vegas.

Join us on a journey to illuminate these forgotten luminaries, unveiling the stories etched into the neon glow.

From the groundbreaking role of the Silver Nugget in casino history as one of the first casinos in Las Vegas to have female blackjack dealers, to the silent grandeur of the Fox Theatre, a franchise started in the 1920s by William Fox, the owner of Fox Film Corporation, each sign holds a unique tale. This experience transcends a simple stroll through a boneyard; it’s a voyage into the pulsating heart of Las Vegas, where the city’s vibrant past comes alive.

Featured signs include Stardust, Las Vegas’ homage to the space-age era; El Cortez, owned briefly by the notorious Benjamin Siegel who used the property as a training site for the soon-to-be-opened Flamingo; Flamingo, the oldest hotel and casino on The Strip opening in 1946; City Center Motel, designed by artist Betty Willis, the visionary behind the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign;  Sulinda Inn, touted as “one of the finest motels in the west;”  and Desert Rose Motel, noted for frequent guests Gus and Gabby, a pair of chimpanzees who accompanied their owners frequently to Las Vegas.

The stories are as vast as the desert itself and our guides will also share their knowledge about Algiers, Tam O’Shanter, Alpine Village Inn, Anita’s Beauty Salon, Skyway Drive-In, Ann Meyers Queen of Hearts, Sands Hotel and Casino, Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Hotel & Casino, Dunes Hotel and Casino, Barbary Coast, and Desert Inn Hotel & Casino – all part of what made Las Vegas “The Entertainment Capitol of the World.”

The term “Boneyard” is often used in the commercial signage industry to refer to a place where signs are retired following their period of use. Signs are typically leased out to businesses, and when a company renovates or closes, sign companies store the displays in their storage lots or “boneyards.” The old signs are used for parts, repurposed, scrapped or sadly, destroyed.

The arrangement of our outdoor collection is meant to emulate the layout of an active boneyard, with signs that range from the 1930s through today stacked, arranged and erected in a mindful and matter-of-fact manner.