People have always been interested in the mob’s presence in Las Vegas. You can learn everything you’ll ever want to know about America’s Organized Crime in Las Vegas’ Mob Museum. Housed in a former courthouse where big mob trials were once held, this authentic and informative account of gangsters and lawmen is definitely worth a couple of hours away from the casino.
The tour begins on the third floor of the building, and you work your way down. Stories of Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel (who opened the Flamingo Casino in Vegas) and other legendary bad men are told in detail alongside the famous lawmen who took them down. There are many surprising facts, like discovering a real town in Sicily named Corleone. Some displays are interactive, as in seeing yourself in a criminal lineup and by sitting in an electric chair. Many of the artifacts curdle the blood, but one unexpected artifact is the bullet-ridden wall from the St. Valentine’s Massacre.
On the second level, experience the solemnity of the courtrooms where Meyer Landsky and others were tried, and where the Kefauver Committee hearings drilled members of Organized Crime. But you’ll spend lots of time studying the photos and inside stories of lesser-known, modern-day and fictional gangsters – their lives and demise. You’ll learn the secrets behind the technology used by law enforcement. The area that focuses on Hollywood will bring back memories of great films. It also reveals the mob’s attempted stranglehold on the industry.
The gift shop is full of fun and serious items to take home.
The Mob Museum is open seven days a week. Students, the military, seniors, law enforcement and Nevada residents receive a discount on their entrance fee.
