Culture

Ask Dead Elvis: Where are the museums?

I just relocated from the Big Apple, and I’m used to museums. What have you got here?

Well, you’re out of luck if you want art museums. But there are other options. More traditional museums include the Marjorie Barrick Natural History Museum (UNLV) and its mix of archaeology and natural history; the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum (Las Vegas Boulevard North and Washington), with its hands-on exhibits for the arts and sciences; and the Nevada State Museum (Lorenzi Park), featuring exhibits on the area’s natural and anthropological history.

But I’d like to point out a few others. The Liberace Museum (Tropicana and Spencer) might be gaudy to some, but it pays lavish homage to the man who understood bling before anyone else. The Atomic Testing Museum (Desert Research Institute) is a sobering, fascinating look at life during the Cold War. The UNLV Library Special Collections area is a room loaded with captivating historical material—old movie posters and news clippings that document the Vegas of old. And don’t forget the Neon Museum (Fremont Street) and its quirky delights of Vegas signage.

Thank you very much.

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