Neon Museum - Where Old Signs Go to Rest

Neon Museum - Where Old Signs Go to Rest

Photo: Missvain, CC BY 4.0 (cropped)

A stop on Las Vegas Strip Walk, a free self-guided tour.

Now for the north end of town. The Neon Museum collects the signs Las Vegas threw away when it tore down its old casinos, a reminder that here, today's icon is tomorrow's scrap. Its outdoor Boneyard, a fenced lot of faded and restored signs, is open only on paid visits, but there's plenty to see from the sidewalk.

Start with the building in front: the swooping, shell-shaped lobby of the La Concha Motel, designed by Paul Revere Williams. When the motel on the Strip was torn down, the lobby was cut into eight pieces and moved here in 2006, and it now serves as the museum's visitor center.

In the median of Las Vegas Boulevard out front sits a giant neon slipper from the demolished Silver Slipper casino. More restored signs dot the boulevard on your way back toward downtown, part of a project to turn this road into a scenic byway. It's the city's attic, out in the open air.

Getting here: This leg is about 6 kilometers, too far to walk in the heat: take the Deuce north toward downtown or a rideshare to the museum at 770 North Las Vegas Boulevard.

Did you know?: Paul Revere Williams, who designed the La Concha lobby, was the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects.

Photo op: From the sidewalk, frame La Concha's curving shell roof against the sky, then turn to catch the Silver Slipper in the median.

More on Wikipedia: Neon Museum · Paul R. Williams · La Concha Motel

Stops on this tour

  1. Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign - The Photo Everyone Takes
  2. Fountains of Bellagio - A Lake in the Desert
  3. Bellagio Conservatory - A Garden That Changes Its Clothes
  4. Paris Las Vegas - Half an Eiffel Tower
  5. Flamingo - Where the Mob Moved In
  6. High Roller - A Half-Hour Lap Above the Strip
  7. Forum Shops at Caesars - Shopping in Ancient Rome
  8. The Mirage Volcano Site - Where the Megaresorts Began
  9. The Venetian - Gondolas on the Strip
  10. Sphere - The Strip's Giant Glowing Ball
  11. Neon Museum - Where Old Signs Go to Rest
  12. Fremont Street Experience - Where Las Vegas Began