Stepping Back in Time with a Visit to The Neon Boneyard, Las Vegas, Nevada

Want to get a feel of what Las Vegas was like in the early days of the post war boom? How about when the city was run by organized crime, or when Atomic Tourism was actually a thing? No place in Las Vegas can take you back to those eras like a visit to the Neon Boneyard where every recovered sign tells a story.

Neatly tucked away on the outskirts of downtown Las Vegas you will find the Neon Museum and the Neon Boneyard - a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing Las Vegas’s iconic signs of yesterday. From an outsiders view it seems like a collection of junk however cheerful and enthusiastic staff are on hand to prove otherwise. A visitors center containing interesting tidbits about the museum and old Las Vegas sits next to the Neon Boneyard, the museums impressive collection of historic signs.

Seeing the Neon Boneyard can only be done through a 1-hour guided tour. When we arrived and saw the small yard I couldn’t help but think what I would do with the remaining 45 minutes as an hour seemed excessive. I was so very wrong. Our tour guide Paul was turbo informative and talked from start to finish, adding interesting facts and tidbits behind the history of each sign as well as the owners and properties they represented. Simply wandering the Neon Boneyard on your own would not be enough. Hearing the stories and facts behind each piece is fascinating and engaging. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).