Although best known for its amazing entertainment, Las Vegas has a diverse collection of exhibits and museums that go undiscovered by many visitors.  Take an amazing journey of the
human body in an anatomical museum with 13 preserved whole-bodies specimens and more than 260 organs and partial body specimens in Bodies – The Exhibition at the Luxor Hotel and Casino.  Real Bodies at Bally’s in Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino provides a respectful look into the science and anatomy of the body through the various stages of life and reflection on the wonder that is the human form.  Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition tells the story of one of the most magnificent, yet tragic stories of an ocean-liner ever, the Titanic.  An outstanding collection of more than 350 artifacts recovered from the wreck are on display along with historic recreations of the ship. The exhibit has been one of the most attended in history with over 25 million viewing it worldwide.

The Neon Museum is home to more than 200 of Las Vegas’ most famous signs of years past.  Both unrestored and restored signs are on display and illuminated at sunset.  These signs are representative of the both the evolution of Las Vegas as well as the trends in sign design and technology dating back to the 1930s.  The museum consists of a Visitor’s Center in the historic former La Concha Motel and outdoor exhibits of rescued signs in the Neon Boneyard Main Collection and the Neon Boneyard North Gallery.  A self-guided 24-hour public art tour can be taken to view iconic signs like the Hacienda Horse and Rider at Las Vegas Boulevard and Fremont Street, the Silver Slipper and the Bow & Arrow Motel and Binion’s Horseshoe near the La Concha Visitors’ Center at the McWilliams Avenue, Society Cleaners, the Lucky Cuss Motel and the Normandie Motel along Las Vegas Blvd between Ogden Ave and the 95 overpass, the 5th Street Liquor at Garces Street and Casino Center Boulevard and the Landmark Hotel Paradise Road near the site of the old casino.

Las Vegas is well known for its notorious mob era and casino owners of the past ties to organized crime.  The Mob Museum located in the old Post Office and Courthouse in the heart of downtown takes visitors back to a time of organized crime and the law enforcement that tried to stop their endeavors. Four floors of the historic building are home to exhibits, videos and artifacts of both organized crime and law enforcement from the beginning to the present.  The basement has a Prohibition Era Speakeasy, Distillery, history of the path to Prohibition, Wreckage of the Lizzie D, VIP Fitting Room, Four Deuces Phone Booth and Pot Still. Floors 1 through 3 have exhibits ranging from the birth of the mob, organized crime and prohibition, to crime labs and law enforcement agencies’ techniques and technology used to fight crime.

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas wax museum in The Venetian is a must see for fans of celebrities, athletes, movie characters and musicians. The Las Vegas location was the first to open in the United States and has over 100 wax life-like figures of some of the world’s most famous individuals and characters.  The museum also has the Marvel Universe 4D Movie, The Hangover Movie Bar and Virtual Room – the Virtual Reality Experience for additional immersive experiences to please the senses.

Some visitors and residents choose to never leave Las Vegas, even after death.  Zak Bagans’ The Haunted Museum is 11,000-square feet of ghostly energies, secret passages and artifacts in more than 30 rooms of paranormal terror.  Notorious artifacts include the world’s most haunted object the Dybbuk Box, Dr. Jack Kevorkian’s “Death Van,” Charles Manson’s bone fragments, The Conjuring 3 movie’s real-life, “Devil’s Rocking Chair,” and Peggy the Doll.  This is the king of all haunted houses; explore this paranormal hotspot if you dare!

The Las Vegas Natural History Museum has variety of exhibits from prehistoric times to the present and live and preserved wildlife for kids and adults to explore.  See the Dinosaur Mummy which is the world’s most preserved dinosaur specimen complete with skin texture, muscles, internal organs and even its last meal eaten. Visitors will be taken on a journey all around the world with Treasures of Egypt – artifacts of Tutankhamun’s tomb, an international wildlife display, a live marine gallery and fossils from different periods of geologic time.  This is a great place for some quality family time away from the traditional Vegas experience.

Everyone knows the world class entertainment Las Vegas is known for, but many are unfamiliar with its history and role in worldwide nuclear deterrence and geopolitics.  The National Atomic Testing Museum is a private national museum that has exhibits and activities highlighting the 70-year history of the nuclear testing.  With 8,000 square feet of exhibits detailing the establishment of the Nevada Test Site, above-ground, underground tests and non-nuclear activities, Ground Zero Theater simulation of an above-ground test, a nuclear reactor used for creating the Genie nuclear rocket, the Davy Crockett Weapon System (recoilless gun) and the Backpack Nuke, visitors will leave with a greater insight into the complexities of nuclear development and its importance to national security and world stability.

DISCOVERY Children’s Museum is a nonprofit museum providing children with 58,000 square feet (5,400 m²) of an exciting and captivating premier educational experience.  Interactive exhibits are STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) based and include The Summit: a three-story tower of physical and mental engagement in science exhibits, The Discovery Lab: a space where kids can be creative, build and learn, Patents Pending: a lab like environment for experimentation and fostering problem solving and invention through engineering skills, Toddler Town: A learning environment where children 5 and under can be curious and hands-on, Water World: Getting a little wet but learning all about water, Fantasy Festival: Young thespians can put on a performance with costumes, displays and stages, Young At Art: An environment where kids can spark their creative interest and express themselves through variety of artistic mediums, Eco City: Future entrepreneurs and developers participate in an interactive city and businesses and Solve It!: Investigation and analytical skills are utilized to solve a challenging mystery. 

The Clark County Museum is a 30-acre site with the history of Southern Nevada from pre-historic times to the present.  Exhibits document ancient Pueblo, Paiute and the first Anglo pioneers’ lives in the desert.  A collection of restored buildings representative of Las Vegas, Boulder City, Henderson and Goldfield life in different eras is onsite.  Historical railroad exhibits include the 1932 Boulder City Depot, a real 1918 Union Pacific steam engine and caboose.  Walk a natural trail, through a ghost town and a mining exhibit with mineral specimens and see a pueblo of ancient inhabitants.

The Nevada State Museum located in the Springs Preserve has a 13,000-square-foot gallery with exhibits including an Ichthyosaur, the Nevada state fossil, a stalactite cave, holographic story tellers of the Nevada mining experience, and atomic explosion and the history of Las Vegas for which it is known for today.  Interactive exhibits of the geology of the Great Basin, plants and animals of Nevada and the Hoover Dam await visitors of all ages.  Railroad buffs won’t want to miss the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City. Exhibits showcase the Boulder City Branch Line, Hoover Dam Construction, Nevada Test Site and Railroading in Nevada. The City Branch line was built in 1930 to transport goods to Boulder City, support construction of Hoover Dam and 5 miles of this track is still in operation for the museum. The museum highlights the evolution of railroading in Nevada and how it was instrumental in building the state.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is home to Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art providing free entry to all exhibitions, workshops, lectures, and community activities.  Collections include The Barrick Art Collection, The Barrick Cultural Collection, The LVAM Collection and The Vogel Collection.  Works in The Barrick Art Collection include artists with connections to Las Vegas and were created in Southern Nevada.  Beginning in 1969, The Barrick Cultural Collection is composed of American Southwest, Mesoamerica and Pre-Columbian cultural objects.  The
LVAM Collection includes the works of national and international artists, as well as UNLV graduates.  Dorothy and Herbert Vogel donated 50 contemporary works from their impressive collection as part of their program to donate 50 pieces to one institution in every state, of which comprise The Vogel Collection.

Hollywood Cars Museum & Liberace Garage is a 30,000 square foot museum housing vehicles from than 100 films, TV shows and videos.  With 5 James Bond cars, Batmobiles, Knight Rider, the Back to the Future Delorean and Bonnie and Clyde’s death car to name a few, visitors will sure to be in awe of the collection of famous vehicles.  Other unique creations include a bunk bed hot rod, piano car, surfbuggie car and a 40-foot pink hot tub convertible limo.  More than 100 cars are on display with a total value of several million dollars.

The Shelby Heritage Center has a free tour self-guided tour of its 15,000 square foot museum with over 30 Shelby vehicles, the history of Shelby’s origin in 1962 and its legendary founder Carol Shelby.  The Heritage Center is next to the 150,000 square-foot production facility where visitors can witness vehicles being modified in the shop or take a paid VIP behind the scenes custom tour.

Military history aficionados will be in heaven while experiencing the free outdoor museum of military vehicles and aircraft at the five-acre facility of Battlefield Vegas.  Exhibits provide visitors with history of equipment used in various wars in the impressive outdoor collection of tanks, Humvees, helicopters, armored vehicles and trucks.  Onsite is a large collection of machine guns from past wars that can be fired in the range with professional instruction and guidance.

For a truly unique and off the beaten path experience, The Pinball Hall of Fame is the world’s largest pinball collection ranging from the 1950’s to the 1990’s in a 25,000 square foot facility.  Every machine is restored to like-new playing condition and is available for play for as low as 25 cents. Since The Pinball Hall of Fame is a registered 501c3 non-profit and proceeds after operating costs go to the Salvation Army, visitors can have a great time while helping a good cause.

What happens when a preacher and pornographer get together?  It may sound like a punchline for joke, but the result is the adult oriented Erotic Heritage Museum founded by Reverend Ted McIllvenna and Harry Mohney.  The two men’s vision was to build a positive exhibition of human sexuality and it is embodied in form of the world’s largest museum of erotic artifacts, art, film and educational resources. Over 24,000 square feet of exhibits showcase a wide variety of disciplines such as biology, archeology, technology and art. The Burlesque Hall of Fame located in Downtown Las Vegas’ Art District has a collection of thousands of artifacts in the world’s only museum for burlesque history and art.  The collection includes exhibits with costumes, photographs, stage props and personal effects of iconic dancers of the likes of Sally Rand, Gypsy Rose Lee and Jayne Mansfield.  Notable items of these dancers are Sally Rand’s ivory fans, Gypsy Rose Lee’s gloves and velvet shoulder cape and Jayne Mansfield’s heart-shaped couch.  Advanced ticket purchases are recommended due to the limited number of visitors that are allowed in the exhibits at a given time.