Get as close to the mob as you can without being asked to wear a wire, with this gritty exploration of Las Vegas’ shady past.
Discover the dark and perilous history of Las Vegas when you pay a visit the Mob Museum, also known as the National Museum of Organized Crime. The lives of famous mafia figures such as Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel, Whitey Bulger and John Gotti, all key players in the development of Las Vegas’s gaming industry, are explored and exposed with interactive displays, memorabilia and original artefacts. This exhibition serves as a reminder of the on-going struggle between the mob and the law.
The museum is poignantly housed in the former federal courthouse, whose courtroom was the venue for one of the fourteen national Kefauver Committed hearings held in 1950, which investigated organised crime and gang activity across America. This is one of the few historical buildings that remain in Las Vegas.
The Mob Museum first opened its doors on 14 February 2013, which happened to coincide with the 83rd anniversary of the notorious St Valentine’s Day Massacre, the bloody shoot-out in prohibition-era Chicago between Al Capone’s South Side Italian gang and Bugs Moran’s North Side Irish gang. The bullet-ridden wall at the site of the massacre was salvaged and reassembled, and is now one of the museum’s most infamous exhibits.
The exhibits will acquaint you with the most notable names in mob history and the mob’s legacy, as well as key government and law-enforcement figures and their battles to bring down the mafia. These events helped shape 20th century American society. At the wire-tapping station, listen in to actual conversations intercepted during the investigations, or test your mettle at the FBI firearms training simulator. Imagine yourself as a suspect as you step into the police line-up booth, or find out all about the mob ritual of becoming a “made” man.
Bear in mind that although the museum is open to all ages (children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult), there are graphic images and crime scene photos on display, as well as a large collection of weapons.
The Mob Museum is located in downtown Las Vegas. If your accommodation is not within walking distance, bus or taxi transfer is the best option as free parking is limited.
