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By Conor Shine (contact) 
Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012 | 2:10 p.m.
A fenced-in lot near Las Vegas Boulevard in downtown Las Vegas has for years been the final resting place for some of the city’s historic neon signs, drawing only the occasional tourist, local or history buff inside for a tour. But come October, the sign graveyard will spring back to life with the grand opening of the Neon Museum.
Tours of the Neon Boneyard, the heart of the Neon Museum, have long been offered on a by-appointment basis, but the leaders behind the nonprofit sought to make it more accessible to the public and embarked on a $1.5 million renovation last year.
As part of the renovation, the historic La Concha motel lobby was moved and transformed into a visitors center, office space was added and the collection of more than 150 signs in the boneyard was reorganized to better illustrate how they fit into the development of Las Vegas.
The museum will have its grand opening on Oct. 27 and offer daily tours, according to a statement released Thursday.
“Visitors from around the world have been eagerly anticipating the Neon Museum’s opening for many years, so it gives us tremendous pleasure to be able to unveil this remarkable and historic collection to the public,” Executive Director Danielle Kelly said in a statement. “Our goal is to give guests an enhanced appreciation for Las Vegas’ rich visual culture while celebrating the beauty and craftsmanship of a distinctly modern art form.”
Tours will be offered every half hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission will be $18 for adults, $12 for students and free for children ages 6 and under.
Visitors to the two-acre museum, located at 770 Las Vegas Blvd. North, will see signs dating to the 1930s, including pieces from iconic casinos like the Stardust, the Moulin Rouge and the Desert Inn.
Many of the signs in the Neon Museum’s collection already are on display downtown. Seven signs — from places including the Bow & Arrow Motel, the Silver Slipper and Binion’s Horseshoe — are displayed along Las Vegas Boulevard between Sahara Avenue and Washington Avenue as part of the Las Vegas Signs Project.
A downtown gallery that stretches from Fremont Street to Third Street along Las Vegas Boulevard includes signs from Aladdin, the Flame Restaurant and the Chief Court Motel.
Another Attraction that is Overpriced for Locals. It reminds me of the Mob Museum - Once and Done type Museum. If any of These Attractions are to be sustainable a Multi Museum Pass (at the Same Price) must be made available and it must be even cheaper for Locals. Now if we Had a Sizeable Natural History, Art, American/Western History, American Indian, Entertainment, Science,Aquariun, etc... Museum where Teachers and the community Could Involve the Studends - we would have something. I see this as another Roadside Stand that does nothing to build Critical Mass in the Downtown Corridor.
$18?????? Are you kidding me? $18 bucks to get into a lot in a crappy neighborhood across some a Methhead Hotel????? Beyond stupid!
If rich people paid the same tax rate they did during the 1950s and 60s when the middle class was growing, we were building the interstate highway system and we were going to the moon,
there would be no federal deficit and the government would have money for education and historical museums - like it used to.
Rich people have ruined the US. And they now control the government.
The American dream is dead and can not be revived.
Always the optomist, eh, Ben?
This would have been on my list of 'want to see' during my next trip - NOT going to happen for $18 !
Would that be optometrist? Optimist? No - he's a REALIST... and he's absolutely correct!