Letter: Group museums off the Strip so kids can go

Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007 | 7 a.m.

This is regarding Las Vegas Sun reporter Kristen Peterson's Aug. 14 commentary headlined, "Can Las Vegans learn the art of appreciation?"

The single leading problem with Las Vegas' art collections is that none is centrally located. They are spread throughout the Las Vegas Valley . If all the collections were brought together, including private collections on loan, Las Vegas could easily have one of the finest art collections in the Southwest, if not the nation.

The Guggenheim and the Las Vegas Art Museum should work closely together in this regard. The Guggenheim would bring the finest collections from Europe and America, as it has been doing, and the Las Vegas Art Museum would continue to focus on contemporary art. The two museums should be located in one fantastically designed structure in downtown Las Vegas with combined staffs and expertise. The partnership would be innovative and allow audiences of all ages to visit two fine museums for the price of one.

Having a dedicated museum allows for the instruction of art history and appreciation that would most benefit our children and assist in bringing the "creative class" to Las Vegas. Having a museum in a resort is a mistake. Children do not belong in a casino, and school buses do not belong on the Strip. Las Vegas needs a place where our children can learn about the world of fine art.

Brian Paco Alvarez, Las Vegas