The Top Five Museums in Las Vegas for a New Learning Experience

If, while in Las Vegas, your attention span for glamor, glitz, and gambling runs short and you find yourself in need of some culture, you might want to check out some of the area museums. Las Vegas offers many great opportunities for visitors wanting to venture off the beaten path of the Strip and make their trip to Sin City a learning experience. Here are the top five museums that visitors can explore.

The Atomic Testing Museum

755 E Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV
(702) 794-5161
www.atomictestingmuseum.org

The Atomic Testing Museum showcases the history of Nevada's atomic testing site through narratives, displays, and interactive exhibits. Visitors will learn about the atom bomb, its usage, history, and effects. On display are fifty years of artifacts, materials, photographs, and slide shows of research and utilization of the atom bomb and atomic testing. The museum is Monday through Friday from 9am until 5pm and Sundays from 1pm until 5pm. Closed on major holidays. Admission is $12 for adults and $9 for all others, including Nevada residents and military with proper ID. Children aged 6 and under are free. This museum is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute.

Lied Children's Museum

833 Las Vegas Boulevard North
Las Vegas, NV
702-382-KIDS(5437)
www.ldcm.org

Voted The Best Museum by The Best of Las Vegas Guide 2008, Lied Children's Museum has hands-on activities for all age groups, including toddlers in their Early Childhood Pavilion, an 8ft science tower, and 22,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space. Some of the permanent exhibits are Simple Machines - Ball Exhibit, Jacob's Ladder that creates electricity, Desert Discovery and Toddler Water Table for the younger crowd, and a hurricane exhibit that lets visitor experience the effects of a storm. Lied Children's Museum also houses a traveling exhibit that changes often. Through December 2008, the traveling exhibit is Torn From Home: My Life As A Refugee. The exhibit tells the tale of refugees from the viewpoint of a child. Museum hours are 9am until 4pm Monday through Saturday and noon until 5pm on Sunday. The museum is closed Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year's Day. Admission prices are $8 for adults and $7 for seniors and children aged 1-17. Infants are free. Group discounts are available and there must be one adult per 10 children.

The Liberace Museum

1775 E Tropicana Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 798-5595
www.liberace.org

The tribute to Liberace, also known as "Mr. Showmanship" boasts eighteen pianos, most of which are rhinestone-encrusted or mirror tiled. Also housed in the museum is a costume collection of Liberace's famous suits, including a 200lb King Neptune costume and various stage jewelry like his piano shaped ring that has over 260 diamonds in it. Several of Liberace's custom Rolls Royces and other vehicles also call the museum home. The museum was voted The Best Museum by The Best of Las Vegas Guide 2007. The museum funds The Liberace Foundation for the Performing and Creative Arts from its proceeds. Admission prices are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, which includes a one hour guided tour. Children 10 and under are free with an adult. The museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10am until 5pm and from noon until 5pm on Sunday. Visitors that arrive by taxi or bus can present their receipt for $2 off an adult admission. The museum is closed on major holidays and has a cafe' and store on site.

Neon Museum

821 Las Vegas Blvd N
Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 387-6366
www.neonmuseum.org

The Neon Museum is a graveyard of sorts where old Las Vegas signs go to die. Sometimes, they are reborn, refurbished, and put on display. The museum is home to many famous pieces of Las Vegas' neon signage history Some of them are being housed in the Neon Boneyard in their original condition as they await restoration There are two 'wings' of the museum. One is housed at The Old Fort in a state park and the other is a self-guided walking tour along the streets of Las Vegas. Admission is only charged at the Old Fort venue and is $3 for adults, $2 for kids 6-12 years old. Six years and under are admitted free. One of the pieces on display at the Old Fort venue is the sign from the back door of the Silver Slipper. The walking tour is centered around Fremont Street and showcases pieces from the 1940s through the 1960s currently displayed at various businesses. The hours of the museum vary greatly depending on the weather. Call for the most current information.

Natural History Museum

900 North Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV
(702) 384-3466
www.lvnhm.org

The Natural History Museum offers information, exhibits, artifacts, and interactive displays of the world's ecosystems, marine life, and cultures. The Pre-Historic Life Gallery offers an up close and personal display of dinosaurs, both on land and in the sea. The Marine Life Gallery boasts a 3,000 aquarium filled with sea life of all kinds, including sharks, sting rays and eels. Also housed in the Marine Life Gallery are snakes, spiders, and other reptiles. The Africa Gallery is a presentation on African primates and the Serengeti. Special effects offer visitors a jungle experience with motion and sound. The museum is open daily from 9am until 4pm. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, military, and students. Children aged 3-11 are $4.00 and 2 and under are admitted free. At the website there is a printable coupon for a 2-for-1 adult admission price.