Travel: The Neon Museum, Las Vegas

Friday, March 12, 2021

An instant classic, in 1997, “Vegas Vacation” splashed across silver screens and gave us an unfiltered look at the latest Griswold family vacation— destination Las Vegas, Nevada! An iconic scene sticks to mind where Cousin Vicki (Shae D’Lyn) introduces Audrey Griswold (Marisol Nichols) to “The Beatles” and the Boneyard. Vicki danced away on the Lady Luck neon and inspires Audrey to start her own vacation by jumping atop the Hacienda horse and rider.

Listed as “One of the Top 10 Coolest Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do” by Forbes.com, located in Downtown Las Vegas, the “Boneyard” not only exists in real life but is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment.

Earlier this month, I was surprised by my partner with a ticketed sunset guided tour of the museum. Nearly a month later, we are both still breathless from the colorful views we witnessed in these curated art pieces perfectly placed in the desert. The Neon Boneyard—are arranged in a deliberate way so, through guided tours provided by museum interpreters, visitors could enjoy the artistry of the signs while discovering the history behind them.

Photography on the museum grounds is restricted as revenue generated from commercial and professional shoots assists The Neon Museum in its ongoing efforts to preserve, display and expand the collection. During guided tours, guests can use smartphones and tablets to document their visit but commercial use is prohibited. The Neon Boneyard and North Gallery are available for specially scheduled photo and video shoots by individuals, professionals and organizations. Usage fees apply and vary according to the type and scale of shoot, size of participating crew, staffing requirements, and proposed image use and distribution. Click here for information or to schedule a photo shoot online.

In an Email sent to The Neon Museum, Las Vegas, I requested permission to blog about my experience and share images on both my blog and my website. Because this is for personal use, permission was granted.

I’m pleased to share with you images from our visit to The Neon Museum, Las Vegas below: