THE NEON MUSEUM ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR RELOCATION AND EXPANSION TO ARTS DISTRICT IN DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS
Museum Enters Due Diligence Process for New Outdoor/Indoor Space and a Second Location for Programmable Offerings, Nearly Tripling Current Location’s Size
LAS VEGAS – The Neon Museum has announced plans for relocation and expansion in downtown Las Vegas’ Art District with the intention to nearly triple the size of its current location. The Museum has entered due diligence on two sites: the first being a 60,000-square-foot outdoor display space and 47,000 square feet for an indoor area on the 9th and 10th floors of a proposed parking garage; and a second location a short walk away offering 35,000 square feet of programmable space.
During the July 15 Las Vegas City Council meeting, Executive Director Aaron Berger shared his thoughts on this new chapter for The Neon Museum.
“After an extensive three-year search, we are pleased to expand our footprint and offerings to better serve the people of Las Vegas and its visitors, continuing to share the stories of Las Vegas,” said Berger. The Arts District is as vibrant as it is historic, and The Neon Museum’s two complementary locations will offer educational, historic preservation, and economic benefits for the area”
He continued, “This is more than moving to a new location, this is a significant expansion effort because what drove this decision was ‘capacity.’ Our collection has grown exponentially to the point that now only 35 percent is visible to the public. Additionally, the Museum turned away over 30,000 visitors due to sold-out nights last year alone. Two sites, each with indoor and outdoor exhibition space, will greatly improve our visitors experience and educate eager audiences on this one-of-a-kind city.”
Pending a successful due diligence process, the new site will include an outdoor sign display – featuring panoramic views of the Las Vegas Valley – and an interactive indoor space for classroom settings and other immersive experiences. The second location – within walking distance of the first – will offer a neon maker’s space; a neon Boneyard; classrooms; and a visible storage center essential to The Museum’s growing collection.
The Neon Museum will now enter an interpretive planning phase, which will help the organization outline how to provide the best visitor experience while fulfilling its mission to enlighten the world about Las Vegas. Over the next several months, The Neon Museum will determine if the two sites will open simultaneously, or one followed by the other. The outcomes of the interpretive plan and fundraising efforts will guide this process.
The Neon Museum continues to actively and assertively collect historical objects to grow its collection within the current location, with several sign lightings in the works, including a new restoration and relighting taking place this year. The current Neon Museum location and Brilliant! Jackpot will continue normal operations, open daily for tours and experiences from 4 p.m. – Midnight (hours may vary based on weather conditions). It is located at 770 Las Vegas Blvd. N, Las Vegas NV, 89101.
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About The Neon Museum
Founded in 1996, The Neon Museum is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying, and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment. In 2021, The Neon Museum achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition bestowed to museums in the United States. On its 2.27-acre campus, The Neon Museum has an outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard (“boneyard” is traditionally the name for an area where items no longer in use are stored); the North Gallery, home to the immersive audiovisual experience “Brilliant!” which uses technology to re-illuminate more than 40 non-operational signs; and its visitors’ center inside the former La Concha Motel lobby. The museum collection also includes 14 restored signs installed as public art in downtown Las Vegas. Public education, outreach, research, and arts preservation represent a selection of the museum’s ongoing projects. For more information, including tour schedules and tickets, visit www.neonmuseum.org. Also follow @NeonMuseum on Facebook and Twitter and @theneonmuseumlasvegas on Instagram.
The Neon Museum Relocation FAQ
As of July 15, 2024
Relocation Overall
Q: Why is The Neon Museum choosing to relocate?
A: The Neon Museum is only able to display 35 percent of its collection at our current location. This, coupled with the fact that the Museum turned away 30,000 visitors due to sold out nights last year, has shown we are at capacity in both room to display and capacity for eager attendees. Our current site is landlocked without nearby restaurants, bars or other attractions open during our operating hours. Further, our visitors and staff are subject to Las Vegas weather as we are an outdoor experience. Creating an accompanying indoor space will allow the Museum to expand what we exhibit as well as provide a new array of programs and offerings to visitors. Simply put, to meet the needs of the growing collection and audience, moving is the answer.
However, this is more than moving to a new location, this is an expansion effort. Our current location has 54,000 square feet of display space. After 3 years of searching, we’ve found our ‘Goldilocks’ location in two sites: one, a structure that has 60,000 square feet of outdoor display space and 47,000 square feet of indoor space; and two, a second site, steps away from the primary location, will add an additional 35,000 square feet of programmable space. The result will be a footprint 2½ times our current location.
Q: Why the Arts District? What benefits will the new Museum bring to the area?
A: The Arts District is as vibrant as it is historic. There is a tremendous amount of development in the area building on the award-winning restaurants, unique stores and locally focused galleries. The Neon Museum believes installing two distinct but complementary locations within steps of one another, the Arts District will become a place locals and visitors alike can spend the day exploring, shopping, eating, socializing, and learning. Our locations will be a safe 15-minute walk to Fremont Street as well as cultural attractions such as the Majestic Repertory Theatre, The Mob Museum, and the Las Vegas Art Museum.
Q: What will be new at The Neon Museum? And is there room to expand the collection?
A: The Neon Museum intends to provide visitors two locations in the Arts District:
The first location will be on the 9th and 10th floor of a newly constructed garage and offer:
- 60,000 square foot outdoor sign display – larger than our current location, the outdoor exhibition space will have a substantial collection of signage to explore the past and present of Las Vegas. While offering incomparable photo opportunities, The Neon Museum will remain a place of learning through the stories of our city’s Civil Rights Movement, trailblazing women, the LGBTQ+ community, and insights into those that built or continue to build this city.
- Panoramic views of the Valley – from the 10th floor, the Museum will provide visitors unparalleled views of the Valley and a juxtaposition of decades-old signage against the backdrop of contemporary Las Vegas. This is not only visually engaging but allows the Museum a new perspective in which to explain the development of Las Vegas as one can explore from nature to neon and the stories of Paiutes to the architecture of the future from this vantage point.
- 47,000 square foot indoor space – for the first time, the Museum will exhibition space to present and interpret Las Vegas artifacts not intended for outdoors. Additionally, this indoor space on the 9th floor will provide classroom space for our growing K-12 audience as well as our signature programming for aging populations and an immersive experience that will delight the senses of our visitors.
The second location, located a few blocks away from the first, will offer:
- A maker’s space – where neon is demonstrated so visitors can better understand the craftsmanship of neon bending and potentially take a class to make their own piece
- A Boneyard – an outdoor destination would include clustered signs similar to the Museum’s current display and featured restored piece as well as others awaiting restoration, giving visitors a better understanding of what a sign manufacturers’ location looks like while displaying historic pieces from the Museum’s collection.
- Classroom – space for ongoing lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on activities
- Visible Storage Center – storage is essential to the Museum’s growing collection; however, The Neon Museum intends to engage with other accredited institutions that have made their collections storage into “Study Galleries.” This would allow a visitor to enter into collections storage – a space traditionally off-limits to the public – and provide them with the opportunity to learn from portions of the collection not on exhibit.
Q: Will you move all the signs to the new location?
A: The Museum is excited to begin a phase called Interpretive Planning. An Interpretive Plan defines strategies:
- Exhibitions
- Audio & video projects
- Onsite and off-site tours
- Duck Duck Shed
- Events
- Event rental
- Community outreach
- Printed publications
- Merchandising / store
The result of Interpretive Planning is determining how best to tell the story of Las Vegas. The finished Interpretive Plan will help us outline how to provide the best visitor experience while fulfilling our mission to enlighten the world about Las Vegas.
One significant consideration is that our sign collection is only a part of The Neon Museum’s holdings. We also have an extensive archive and artifact collection never meant to be shown outdoors. The new location would include a 47,000-square-foot indoor space which will allow visitors to engage in the stories of Las Vegas indoors as well as interact with signage outdoors.
Over the next several months, The Neon Museum will determine if the two sites will open simultaneously, or one followed by the other. The outcomes of the interpretive plan and fundraising efforts will guide that process.
Q: When do you think The Neon Museum will move?
A: We are at the very beginning stages of this process so there are many considerations. Our goal is 2027.
Q: When will the current location of The Neon Museum close completely?
A: There is no schedule at this point in time.
Q: Will The Neon Museum be closed during the move / build out of the new location?
A: It’s too early to say.
Q: When will you break ground on a new location?
A: That will be determined in the next few months.
Q: Were any additional sites considered?
A: Yes, the Museum explored over a dozen sites in both the City and County. Staff and Board agreed that the two locations in the Arts District not only suited our physical needs, but does so in a way that engages an historic area of Las Vegas and allows us to expand our programming in a thoughtful and intentional way.
Q: When will we be able to see photos/renderings of the proposed site?
A: Once the Museum has completed its Interpretive Plan, appropriate architects will be engaged to create renderings of the two sites.
Q: How much is needed for The Neon Museum to fund this move and new development?
A: An estimated $45M will construct the two sites, relocate the collection and ensure both locations are compliant with accreditation standards.
Q: Do you see The Museum employing more people at the new location?
A: That will be determined through a series of planning and programming studies held over the next year.
Existing Museum Installations
Q: Will you move the La Concha building?
A: The La Concha will move with the collection.
Q: Will you move Brilliant! Jackpot?
A: The Interpretive Plan will determine this.
Q: Will you continue to add to the current Museum collection before the new one opens?
A: Yes. The Neon Museum continues to actively and assertively collect historical objects and grow the collection. We still plan to move forward with several sign lightings, including a new restoration and relighting this year.
Q: When the relocation takes place, will it still be considered a neon “Boneyard?”
A: The Interpretive Plan, a process that includes members, visitors, the local community, as well as enthusiasts worldwide, will provide the opportunity to provide their thoughts on how best to display signage. Once that plan has been compiled, The Neon Museum will be able to create renderings of what the interior and exterior experience will be.
Q: What will happen to the existing location on Las Vegas Blvd?
A: Apart from a small sliver of land owned by The Neon Museum, we are located on City-owned land, which will revert to the City of Las Vegas.
Q: What will happen with the Electric Promenade pavers?
A: We value the pavers and recognize the sentimental attachment many have to them. They will be a part of our interpretive planning process that will take place over the next year.
Bookings/Guest Services
Q: Will I still be able to book my wedding / photo shoots at The Museum when you move? / Is my wedding booking saved?
A: People can book comfortably through December 2026. After that, the Museum will update the calendar. All existing reservations are secure. We don’t anticipate stopping any new reservations until the end of 2026 at the earliest.
Q: Will I still be a member when The Neon Museum moves or will I have to renew?
A: An active membership will carry over to the new location.
Community Relations
Q: What will happen with the installed signs on the Scenic Byway? Will they remain on Las Vegas Boulevard?
A: There is no reason why the partnership between the City of Las Vegas and The Neon Museum would change or alter the Scenic Byway. In fact, the Museum is looking forward to expanding public viewing of its collection with the addition of Free Aspirin & Tender Sympathies installation in Charleston in October.
Q: What will happen with the A’s location?
A: The A’s Stadium is an independent project from this effort and is moving ahead positively.
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