The Neon Museum
- Admission
- General admission starts around $20; guided night tours and special exhibit tickets start around $28.
- Hours
- Open daily; hours typically run from 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM, with seasonal variations.
- Duration
- 1 to 1.5 hours
- Parking
- Free parking is available for ticket holders in the museum's official lot adjacent to the visitor center.
- Access
- The outdoor boneyard paths are packed gravel and fully wheelchair accessible, though some areas may be slightly uneven. Wheelchairs are available for loan on a first-come, first-served basis.
Step into a glowing graveyard of vintage Sin City history at this outdoor museum, where retired neon signs from iconic casinos find a second life. Walking through the outdoor boneyard offers a nostalgic journey through Las Vegas's visual evolution. Surprisingly, the museum's visitor center is housed inside the fully restored, futuristic lobby shell of the historic La Concha Motel.
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Founded in 1996, The Neon Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational and cultural enrichment. The main attraction is the outdoor Neon Boneyard, which holds more than 250 unrestored signs that glow beautifully under ground lighting at night. Visitors can explore the collection through guided tours or self-guided walks, learning the stories of the designers and technicians who shaped the city's glittering skyline.
Several of the most famous signs have been meticulously restored to full, buzzing electric glory, standing alongside massive unlit relics of the past. A highlight of the experience is "Brilliant!", an immersive 360-degree audiovisual show in the North Gallery. This presentation uses advanced projection mapping to reanimate broken, unlighted signs, synching them to classic Vegas tunes for a magical trip back in time.
Ratings
museum◆ Visitor Tips
- ◆ Book your tickets well in advance, especially for night tours, as they sell out quickly.
- ◆ Visit at night to see the restored signs glowing and the unrestored signs dramatically illuminated by ground lights.
- ◆ Don't miss the 'Brilliant!' projection mapping show in the North Gallery for a unique sensory experience.
- ◆ Keep your camera ready, but note that professional photography equipment like tripods is strictly prohibited on standard tours.
Heads Up
- ◆ The boneyard is entirely outdoors, so prepare for extreme desert heat during summer day tours.
- ◆ Sturdy, closed-toe shoes are highly recommended as the ground consists of fine gravel.
- ◆ Touching the signs is strictly forbidden to protect both the visitors and the delicate neon glass.
Common questions
Can I use a professional camera at the Neon Museum?
No, professional cameras, DSLR bodies, detachable lenses, and tripods are strictly prohibited during standard visits. Only personal smartphone photography is allowed, and commercial or portrait photography requires booking a private photo shoot.
Are all of the signs at the Neon Museum functional and lit up?
No, only a small portion of the collection has been fully restored to light up. The remaining signs are kept in their retired, unlit state, though they are illuminated by ground-level floodlights during evening hours.
Can you walk to the Neon Museum from Fremont Street?
It is about a 0.7-mile walk, but the route passes under the I-515 highway and can be dark and isolated. Visitors are generally advised to take a rideshare or taxi rather than walking, especially after dark.
What is the difference between the Main Boneyard and the Brilliant show?
The Main Boneyard contains the primary collection of historic signs which you can walk through on a self-guided or guided tour. 'Brilliant!' is a separate, 25-minute show in the North Gallery that uses light projection and music to make unrestored signs appear fully illuminated.