Marjorie Barrick Museum, Las Vegas

Marjorie Barrick Museum, Las Vegas

The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History is situated on the University of Nevada campus and comprises a wonderful museum for all the family and beautiful gardens. Entry to the museum is free, but you can make a donation if you wish.

The museum first opened in 1967 with a collection of items and the history of Nevada and the southwest of the United States, but it began to expand in the late nineteen seventies to include anthropological, ethnological and archaeological artifacts of Native Americans and pre-Columbian Mesoamericans.

These magnificent objects cover a period of over 2000 years and include over 100 Mexican and Guatemalan masks that were used in religious ceremonies and for social occasions, such as weddings and coming of age rituals. There is a fine exhibition of Catrine dance masks – 19th century masks modeled to mock the French landowners who occupied Mexico. Guatemalan costumes and textiles and pre-Columbian sacrificial items are also on display. Each showcase has a short text explaining the object’s history and you can also ask for complementary history cards. There is a reptile section with local and regional lizards and snakes.

There is a library that can be visited by appointment and you will find books and short films about Mesoamerican art and culture. To entertain the kids, there is a giant sandbox where they can take part in “archaeological digs” for lost treasure and a section in the lobby where they can draw and paint and do rubbings.

The Xeric Gardens feature drought resistant plants with strange and amusing names, such as “beavertail” and “cholla bunny ears”, as well as many cacti and yuccas.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Las Vegas. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Marjorie Barrick Museum on Map

Sight Name: Marjorie Barrick Museum
Sight Location: Las Vegas, USA (See walking tours in Las Vegas)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery

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