The Neon Museum, renowned for its collection of vintage neon signs and its role in preserving the history of Las Vegas, has unveiled plans for a significant $45M expansion.
This ambitious project aims to address the growing demand for its exhibits and provide a comprehensive showcase of the city’s rich cultural and entertainment heritage.
The expansion will see the museum spread across two new sites in the Las Vegas Arts District, effectively tripling its current operational size. One of the new locations will occupy the top two floors of a proposed parking garage at the intersection of Art Way and Boulder Avenue, just north of Charleston Boulevard. This site will offer approximately 60,000sq ft of outdoor space and 47,000sq ft of indoor space. The second site, whose exact location is yet to be disclosed, will be a short walk from the parking garage and provide an additional 35,000sq ft of space.
Aaron Berger, the executive director of the Neon Museum, emphasised the necessity of this expansion to meet the increasing visitor numbers and to display a larger portion of the museum’s extensive collection. Since its opening in 2012, the museum’s annual visitor count has soared from 20,000 to 200,000. Despite this success, only about 30-35 per cent of its collection has been on display, leading to high demand and frequent sell-outs of its nightly shows.
The new sites will significantly enhance the museum’s ability to display its diverse artefacts. The expanded indoor spaces will allow the museum to exhibit neon signs, fine art, costumes from old casino shows and various Las Vegas artefacts that have previously been kept in storage. This expansion is poised to offer visitors a more comprehensive insight into the entertainment history of Las Vegas, showcasing elements that define the city’s unique cultural identity.
