Neon Museum

The Neon Museum is a cultural institution in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of historic neon signs from casinos, hotels, motels, and other businesses that shaped the city’s visual identity. Displayed primarily outdoors, the museum’s collection reflects the evolution of Las Vegas as an entertainment capital and highlights neon signage as both commercial art and urban heritage.
Las Vegas is globally associated with neon lighting, which became a defining feature of its streetscape during the twentieth century. The Neon Museum preserves this legacy by rescuing, conserving, and interpreting signs that would otherwise have been lost to redevelopment, modernisation, or neglect.

Background of Neon Signage in Las Vegas

Neon signage in Las Vegas dates back to the 1920s, when early gas-lit signs began to appear along Fremont Street. Their use expanded significantly during the 1930s, particularly among hotel-casinos seeking to attract travellers in an increasingly competitive hospitality market. Neon signs offered bright illumination, distinctive typography, and striking imagery, allowing businesses to stand out in the desert night.
A substantial proportion of these signs were manufactured by the Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO), a locally based firm that became one of the most influential sign manufacturers in the western United States. By the mid-twentieth century, neon signs had become integral to Las Vegas branding, symbolising glamour, leisure, and spectacle.
During the 1970s and 1980s, large-scale renovations and demolitions along the Las Vegas Strip and downtown led to the destruction of many early neon signs. Public concern grew after the demolition of prominent examples, most notably the original neon sign of The Sands Hotel and Casino in 1981. These losses prompted local artists, historians, and civic groups to advocate for preservation.

Early Preservation Efforts

Initial efforts to establish a neon sign museum began in the late 1980s. The Allied Arts Council of Southern Nevada, under the leadership of Patrick Gaffey, proposed the creation of a “Neon Park” that would collect and display historic signage. In 1989, the project received its first donated sign from the 5th Street Liquor Store, a well-known late-1940s sign depicting a hand pouring alcohol into a glass.
Despite enthusiasm, these early initiatives struggled due to limited funding, manpower, and storage facilities. Some rescued signs were stored in the Nevada desert, while others were kept at YESCO’s Las Vegas storage yard. Competing proposals, including one by the Southern Nevada Cultural Arts Foundation in the mid-1990s, also failed to progress beyond planning stages.
Support from city officials, including Mayor Jan Jones Blackhurst, kept the idea alive. In 1995, city employee Barbara Molasky was recruited to help turn the long-standing concept of a neon museum into a practical reality.

Formation of The Neon Museum

A decisive milestone occurred on 18 September 1996, when the Las Vegas City Council approved the use of redevelopment funds to establish The Neon Museum. At this stage, the museum existed without a dedicated building, as constructing a traditional indoor facility was considered financially impractical.
Instead, the museum initially focused on reinstalling historic neon signs along North Las Vegas Boulevard. This approach aimed to enhance the downtown area and complement the newly developed Fremont Street Experience. One of the museum’s earliest and most significant projects was the restoration of the Hacienda Hotel’s “Horse Rider” sign, a large neon depiction of a cowboy on horseback. After years in storage, the sign was refurbished and relit in November 1996, marking the museum’s first public success.
The Neon Museum was formally incorporated as a non-profit organisation in 1997, with Barbara Molasky serving as its founding president. The organisation sought guidance from similar institutions, including the Museum of Neon Art in Los Angeles, as it planned for a permanent home.

The Neon Boneyard and Collection Growth

YESCO’s decision to close its Las Vegas storage yard around 2000 proved crucial to the museum’s development. The City of Las Vegas provided land near Cashman Field on North Las Vegas Boulevard, leased to the museum for a nominal fee, allowing it to establish its own storage and display site.
This site became known as the Neon Boneyard. Tours began in 2001, initially by appointment only. By 2002, the boneyard housed approximately 75 signs, many transferred from YESCO’s collection. Expansion into adjacent land followed in 2003, creating a second boneyard area and enabling further growth.
By 2006, the museum’s collection exceeded 200 signs, including iconic pieces from defunct casinos, motels, restaurants, and roadside attractions. While popular for photography and film shoots, the museum remained relatively unknown to the wider public, attracting modest visitor numbers during its early years.

The La Concha Lobby Project

A transformative moment occurred with the donation of the distinctive shell-shaped lobby of the former La Concha Motel on the Las Vegas Strip. Donated in 2005 by the motel’s owners prior to demolition, the lobby was intended to serve as a visitor centre for the museum.
In 2006, the structure was carefully cut into sections and transported several miles north to the Neon Museum site. Although the relocation and restoration cost several million dollars, the donation attracted significant public and private funding, making the prospect of a fully accessible museum viable.
Construction to convert the La Concha lobby into a visitor centre began in May 2011. During this period, the museum also developed the Neon Boneyard Park, a landscaped area with informational kiosks that contextualised the history of neon signage.

Public Opening and Expansion

The Neon Museum officially opened to the general public on 27 October 2012, ending the appointment-only tour system. This marked the culmination of more than a decade of planning and development. The opening significantly increased visitor numbers, with tens of thousands attending annually in the years that followed. A large majority of visitors were tourists, reflecting the museum’s role as a cultural attraction within the city’s tourism economy.
The museum continued to expand its programming, educational initiatives, and guided tours, while also managing the challenges of conserving fragile neon artefacts exposed to desert conditions. By the mid-2010s, staff growth required administrative offices to be relocated offsite to free space within the visitor centre.

Recent Developments and Future Plans

Despite ongoing expansions, space limitations have remained a persistent issue. Hundreds of neon artefacts continue to be held in offsite storage, awaiting restoration or display. In 2017, the museum received municipal funding to expand its main boneyard, enabling additional signs to be exhibited.
In 2024, the museum announced plans for a major relocation to two larger nearby sites within the 18b Las Vegas Arts District. The project includes the relocation of the La Concha lobby and aims to provide increased exhibition space, improved conservation facilities, and greater integration with the city’s cultural district. The new locations are expected to open around 2027, representing the next phase in the preservation of Las Vegas’s neon heritage.