While Las Vegas is known for fine dining, trendy nightclubs and lavish spas, the inner nerd in you craves knowledge. This list of the BEST Museums in Las Vegas can give you history, dinosaurs, games, cars and even wax celebrities.
Las Vegas Natural History Museum (Image: SAllgood)
Whether you’re looking for an educational experience or just something unique to see that’s not your typical Vegas, there is something for everyone. Many of these Las Vegas museums are FREE or offer discounts on admission as well, now who doesn’t love that?
Best Museums on the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown
Image: Neon Museum
Neon Museum– You can experience the magic day or night, however, night tours feature the fabulous neon of thier 11 restored signs, and beautifully and dramatically lit un-restored signs. The Neon Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment.
It includes the outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard, a visitors’ center and the Neon Boneyard North Gallery which houses additional rescued signs and is available for weddings, special events, photo shoots and educational programs.
Tickets range from $22- $42, save money reserving online. Check availability on the tickets page before purchase. General admission runs 9am-7pm on most days, hours may vary.
The Neon Boneyard is open to the public from 4pm-midnight. See their FAQs page at this link. Like them on Facebook to see what events may be happening in the Graveyard. (770 Las Vegas Boulevard North, Las Vegas, NV 89101)
Las Vegas Natural History Museum– From Nevada to Africa, from prehistoric times to the present, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum will take kids and adults on an adventure around the world. It features many exhibits, including Rainforest Adventure, Treasures of Egypt, and the Marine Life Gallery. In this exhibit, they hold live shark feedings on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 2:30PM, and Saturdays at 2:00PM.
Admission is $14 – Adults, $12 – Senior Citizens, Military, Students (Ages 12 and older), $7 – Children (Ages 3 to 11), and is Free to Children (Ages 2 and younger) and Las Vegas Natural History Museum members. If you are a Bank of America member, each cardholder will receive free admission on the first full weekend of each month, as part of the Museums on Us program, so plan ahead and save some dough. (900 Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89101)
The Mob Museum– Looking for a bold and authentic view of organized crime from vintage Las Vegas to the back alleys of American cities? Explore the real stories and actual events of Mob history through interactive exhibits and one-of-a-kind Mob and law enforcement artifacts found inside our restored 1933 former courthouse and post office building, located just minutes from Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.
General Admission for NV residents starts at $19.95, with a number of package options. You can purchase tickets here, and check out their Facebook page for more events. Hours: Museum- Daily: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Underground (speakeasy and distillery)- Daily: 9 a.m. to midnight (300 Stewart Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89101)
Image: SAllgood
Discovery Children’s Museum– DISCOVERY Children’s Museum is the top interactive museum in the Las Vegas Valley, welcoming children and families to explore three floors packed with heart-pounding fun, adventure and discovery.
As Las Vegas’ only Children’s museum, it spans across 26,000 square feet of interactive and educational hands-on exhibits. This 3-story museum is complete with nine exhibition galleries featuring immersive traveling exhibitions, daily programs, demonstrations and activities and collaborative cultural programming for all occasions.
There is so much to see and do each visit, all while addressing the educational areas of science and nature, art and culture and early childhood development. If you have kids, it’s the Best Museum to let them explore in Las Vegas.
Please see their plan a visit page for all pricing, discounts and hours info -as their hours change throughout the year. NV locals admission is $13.50. Like them on Facebook and check out their Calendar for all the upcoming events, there is a lot going on at Discovery. (360 Promenade Place, Las Vegas, NV 89106)
Madam Tussaud’s Las Vegas– So many celebrities, so little time. Madame Tussaud’s Las Vegas allows you to get up-close and personal with your favorite celebrities, only thing is, these celebrities are made of wax. But they are very realistic.
*At this time, they are discouraging touching the figures and some attractions will be limiting interactive elements such as photo props. Madame Tussaud’s Las Vegas has recently partnered with the good folks of Marvel Comics on a Marvel 4-D Theatre. You’ll be able to team up with The Avengers to save Las Vegas from destruction.
Visit their ticket page for all pricing and package deals, tickets packages at $38 for adults. Hours: Sunday-Thursday 10am-8pm, Friday & Saturday 10am-9pm.
Pinball Hall of Fame– Their new facility is 10,000 square feet dedicated entirely to the Pinball Hall of Fame, where the entire family can enjoy non-violent pinball arcade games for very little dinero. And it’s on the south end of the Strip!
All machines are available for play, so not only can you see them, you can actually play your old favorites. The pinball machines are all restored to like-new playing condition by people that love pinball and understand how a machine should work.
Entrance is FREE, but you gotta pay to play. All older pinballs are set to 25 cents per play, and newer 1990s models are set to 50 cents per play. The PHoF is a non-profit organization, and after they cover their monthly expenses, the remainder of the money goes to the Salvation Army. Check them out on Facebook as well. Hours: Daily 11am-11pm (4925 Las Vegas Blvd.)
The Shelby Museum– The Shelby Heritage Center has made the preliminary list of USA Today’s annual “10 Best” list under the category for “Best Attraction For Car Lovers”. An American Car enthusiasts must see! And, if you haven’t seen the movie Ford vs. Ferrari, you must see it now! Tours are FREE and do not require a reservation.
The museum is FREE and open to the public six days a week! Like them on Facebook as well to see any new events happening. The Shelby Heritage Center and Carroll Shelby’s Store are open: Monday through Friday 9:00am – 6:00pm, Saturday 7:00am – 6:00pm and Sunday 10:00am – 5:00pm. They offer Free Guided Tours: Monday-Friday 10:30am and 1:30pm and Saturday 10:30am (No Guided Tours on Sundays- closed) (6405 Ensworth St., Las Vegas, NV 89119)
Best Las Vegas Museums off the Strip
Hollywood Cars Museum– The worlds of movies, TV shows, and cars converge at the Hollywood Cars Museum and Liberace Garage, where visitors take an up close look at iconic vehicles that have graced the small and big screens. The museum is home to instantly recognizable cars as well as custom cars that would surely turn heads on the road.
Inside the 30,000 square foot space, the collection spans several decades of Hollywood movies and shows. Tickets are $15 per adult (use the $5 off coupon on the web page), and kids under 16 get in free with paid adult. Open 7 days a week, 10am-9pm. Like them on Facebook (5115 DEAN MARTIN DR #905, LAS VEGAS, NV 89118)
The Planetarium – Experience the Desert Sky, inside and out. You can make reservations by calling 702-651-4505 or through our online reservation system. Southern Nevada has only one public planetarium, where the stars are literally the stars of the show.
Once the latitude, longitude, time and date are set, visitors are able to see a projection of what treasures the night sky will have to offer on that particular evening. The planetarium is fairly small, so be sure to get there early as it fills up fast. Also, once the presentation starts there is no admittance.
* Students with a valid CSN Student ID may attend the 6 pm, 7 pm, or 8 pm show for free on the first Friday of each month.
Whether you’re looking for an educational experience or just something unique to see in Vegas, the Planetarium and Observatory will suit your needs. They offer FREE observatory viewing following the 8pm show every Friday and Saturday.
Hours for the public showings: Friday Evening: Children/Families 6 pm, All ages 7 pm and Feature 8 pm, Saturday Afternoon and Evening: Children/Families 3:30 pm and 6 pm, All ages 7 pm and Feature 8 pm. Tickets are $6 for general admission. $5 for seniors over 55, children under 12, students of CCSN, military and youth groups. (3200 E. Cheyenne Avenue, North Las Vegas, NV 89030)
Museums in Boulder City
Image: SAllgood
Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum– The Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum tells the story of the men and women who braved the desolation of the southern Nevada desert to build Hoover Dam and settle Boulder City. About a 30 minute drive from the strip, it’s located inside the historic Boulder Dam Hotel.
Open daily from 7am-7pm, 365 days a year, admission is always FREE. Gift Shop & Theater hours are 8:00 am – 3:00 pm Monday through Sunday, Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. (1305 Arizona Street, Boulder City, NV 89005)
Image: SAllgood
Nevada State Railroad Museum
The Nevada State Railroad Museum Boulder City can show you the important history of railways in Nevada. If you have any kiddos that love trains, you have to visit here, and better yet, ride a train!
The museum’s main display pavilion is an outdoor area containing two tracks with multiple locomotives and pieces of rolling stock on display. This is a self-guided area with interpretive signs both inside and outside cars for your information.
Don’t miss Storytime on the Train, as well as Santa and Holiday trains! And do a little outdoor adventure at the Nature Discovery Trail and Rock Garden at Boulder City’s municipal park in Bootleg Canyon, just up the hill.
Looking for more fun around the city? Check out our 10 Best Free and Cheap Things to do with Kids in Las Vegas, or our list of 10 Best Cheap Date Nights.
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How fabulous that we have so many wonderful museums and those that are interactive as well. I wish you would add the Clark County Wetlands Interactive Nature Center that is a museum of wildlife and plants in our area. It is located at 705 Wetlands Park Lane, taking East Tropicana about 1 mile past Boulder Hwy. In addition to the 10,000 square foot Exhibit Gallery, there is 2,900 acres of paved and unpaved trails. Guided Walks and Tours are available in addition to individual walking and biking trails. There are a multitude of programs for adults, children, and families. There is no entry cost. The Wetlands is open daily from dawn to dusk. Dogs are welcome in certain areas. You can learn more about the Wetlands by calling (702) 455-7522 or learn about the Wetlands, to include an interactive map by contacting: wetlands@clarkcountynv.gov.