Not-So-Local-Loves: The Neon Boneyard

Hello from Las Vegas, Nevada- where I’ve been soaking up the sun (and surprisingly cool, Fall-esque temperatures,) playing the occasional slot machine and eating way too much food since my arrival this past Saturday morning.

While my “Local Loves” posts throughout the month of October have predominantly been about macabre and unusual New England oddities- what with Halloween just a few short days away and all- I thought I’d take my exploring to a fascinating and really fun to photograph “spooky” location right here in Sin City.

The “Neon Boneyard,” more formally referred to as The Neon Museum– is an outdoor exhibit just a few minutes away from historic Fremont Street. Featuring the gigantic (and some still functioning!) signs from now-defunct and closed casinos/gambling halls, restaurants, motels, etc. that date as far back to the 1950s and 1960s- walking through the exhibit is like taking a time machine to Vegas’ “golden era”- where people like the Rat Pack and classic Hollywood elite ran wild.

I stopped by this past weekend to finally see the exhibit- something I’ve wanted to do for what has felt like ages- for the first time. The signs are impressive to behold all on their own, of course- but the museum offers a free mobile app you can download while touring the area which provides really interesting tidbits of information on most of the selected pieces on display.

While I checked out the exhibit shortly before sunset, the museum is actually open pretty late nearly every night- and the signs are illuminated after dark- but you need to get your tickets in advance since nighttime tours/showings sell out pretty quickly!

And to adhere to Nevada’s COVID-19 preventative guidelines- masks are required at all times. It’s easy to socially distance in the museum, too- since it’s outdoors are there multiple winding walkways you can take to check things out. Even though there were a few other people there while I was visiting- respecting each other’s space wasn’t a problem at all. I had a really great time and would love to go back to see everything lit up!