Other Museums/Tours, Las Vegas

Following Bellagio with its art gallery, The Venetian has an outpost of New York's Guggenheim Museum. [In collaboration with St. Petersburg's famous Hermitage] This is actually very appropriate as there is also a branch in the REAL Venice. Shows vary. There are discounts for seniors and local residents, although it is free if you are staying at The Venetian.

I have visited this museum once before the remolding and once after. I must say that the newly remolded museum is 3 times the size of the original. I don't understand this, nor have I ever heard of something like this happening, but the museum didn't build onto their already existing museum, but built another one in the small shopping center it resides in; go figure. Liberace passed away in 1987. Liberace has won two Emmy awards, six golden albums, "two" stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has even played at Carnegie Hall. Here are some highlights in the museum:

~ 1788 Broadwood piano (one of the oldest in existence)
~ A French Pleyel piano owned by Chopin (which is the most expensive)
~ A Chickering piano once owned by George Gershwin.
~ A piano made out of toothpicks
~ And 9 other pianos
~ The world's largest Austrian rhinestone, totaling 115,000 carats, worth $50,000, weighing 50 pounds!
~ A Rolls Royce covered in tiny mirrors
~ A "pink" Volks Royce
~ A black diamond mink (lined in more then 40,000 "2-and-a-half" karat Austrian rhinestones, each sewn by hand
~ A coat covered with sea shells and pearls, weighing 200 pounds

The museum is located at: 1775 E. Tropicana Ave., at Spencer. It is 2.5 miles away from Las Vegas Blvd. Here is the following admission prices:

Adults: $12.50
Seniors (65+) & Students: $8.50
Children under 5: Free
Note: There is a buy-1-get-1-free coupon in the Entertainment Book

The hours of operation are as follows:

Mon. - Sat. (10am - 5pm)
Sunday (12pm - 4pm)
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day
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Daughters of Utah Pioneers
Erected Sept 18, 1939
It reads: In 1855 President Brigham Young appointed a company of men under the leadership of William Bringhurst to establish a colony at Las Vegas. The company left Salt Lake May 10 and arrived at Las Vegas June 14, 1855 and camped near this site. William Bringhurst was appointed President, WM.S. Convert, and Ira S. Miles counselors. Sunday June 17, they built a bowery and held their first religious services. The next day they began to build the fort, 150 square feet, 14 feet high, 2 feet wide at the base, and 1 foot at the top.

Desert Holly Camp, Las Vegas, Nevada.

500 E. Washington Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89101

Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington St
Old Las Vegas Mormon State Historic Park

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Daughters of Utah Pioneers
Erected 1951
It reads: John Steele, one of the original LDS missionaries, secured a mail grant for Las Vegas mission. The documents to establish the post office, and appointing William Bringhurst postmaster, were brought from Salt Lake City by Benjamin H. Hulse January 10, 1856. This office was continued until the mission was abandoned in 1857. Mr. Steele acted as postmaster under President Bringhurst.

Clark County, Nevada.

500 E. Washington Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89101

Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington St

Old Las Vegas Mormon State Historic Park

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It reads: A Midpoint Way Station on the Mormon Road. In April 1855, Brigham Young, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, called thirty men to leave their families and possessions in the recently settled towns of Utah to serve a mission at the Las Vegas Springs. The verdant meadows watered by the springs had been seasonally inhabited by the Paiute Indians for centuries. The water and the meadows made Las Vegas an important stop on the Spanish Trail (called the Mormon Road after 1848).

President Young directed this group of newly called missionaries to become self-sufficient, to provide a place of rest and security for travelers between California and Salt Lake City, and to teach the Indians the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the heat of the summer, in June 1855, the missionaries arrived at this site. The mission, intended to be permanent, was the first Anglo-American settlement in Las Vegas Valley.

By summer’s end their irrigated gardens were producing fresh vegetables and grains. A new fort was under construction, and a spirit of cooperation and mutual learning was being established with the native inhabitants. They also discovered a deposit of lead ore in the nearby mountains. More missionaries were sent to smelt the complex ore in large quantities, but the attempt was unsuccessful. 23 February 1857 Church leaders sent word to the settlement that the mission was to be disbanded. These early pioneers returned to Utah but left a legacy of faith, devotion, and service shown by their willingness to settle in this hostile environment.

Erected on 1997 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. John Steele

500 E. Washington Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89101

Located in front of the Visitor Center on Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington St

Can you find things besides gambling to do in Vegas? You can bet on it. The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art has exhibits from world class artists. When we were there they had an Impressionist collection from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston which was small but excellent. They recently opened an exhibit of Ansel Adams photographs as well as other personal items. The Gallery is in the Bellagio Hotel and is a great change of pace from the usual glitz, glamor and noise of Vegas.

The gallery is open 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily, including weekends and holidays. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students. Audio tours are available in English, French, Japanese and Spanish.

3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd., inside the Bellagio Hotel right on the Strip.

There is a real city of Las Vegas where people work and live. It's surrounded by low mountains and has many golf courses and good shopping. I was lucky to see this side of LV while being given a tour by a good friend who lives there year round.

The town of Overton is located about 15 miles north of Valley of the Fire State Park. Here you will find the Lost City Museum and Ruins. The museum has artifacts of the Anasazi culture who lived in the area. The ruins are a portion of the ancient civilization which was uncovered during World War Two.

For more information on the Lost City Museum, see my Overton page.