Anyone familiar with the history of the City of Las Vegas knows that the organized crime, AKA the Mob, played an influential role in the growth of the city. So that makes Las Vegas the perfect place to host The Mob Museum, a multi-faceted view of the mob's history in the United States and abroad. Take care though, some of the exhibits are definitely NOT for the faint of heart!
The Mob Museum is located in the three-story building that was once the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse.
The building was completed in 1933 and is a beautiful example of neoclassical architecture. It's also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's also famous as the site of the Kefauver Committee hearings, organized by U.S. Senator Estes Kefauver to investigate the impact of the mob on several cities across the U.S. The building was sold to the City of Las Vegas in 2002 and converted into the museum on the suggestion of Mayor Oscar Goodman. The mayor had his own connection to organized crime, having served for many years as a defense attorney to several prominent members of the mob prior to his political career.
The museum has three floors with many informative exhibits covering all facets of the history of organized crime, including prohibition, the Kennedy assassination, ties to Hollywood and more.
Because the history of organized crime includes much violence, certain exhibits are definitely for a mature audience only and some are quite graphic.
For example, the Murder with a Message wall displays various reasons for "hits" done by the mob, and some include copies of the photographs of the actual gory crime scenes.
There's also an old electric chair, which you're welcome to try out (sans electricity, of course!)
One of the most interesting of the not-for-faint-of-heart exhibits is the St. Valentine's Day Massacre Wall. This is the actual wall where a mob hit on seven men from the North Side Irish gang were murdered by members of Al Capone's South Side Italian gang in Chicago in 1929.
The bullet holes and blood from the victims still remain, although some paint has been added to make the blood spots more visible and unsettling.
The Mob Museum in fact opened its doors on Valentine's Day in 2002, and admission is sometimes free on Valentine's Day for Nevada locals.
Another unique exhibit is the barber chair that nefarious mobster Albert Anastasia was assassinated in. The barbershop was originally in the Park Sheraton Hotel in New York City.
The exhibits cover more than U.S. mob history. There are also exhibits on organized crime in other countries, such as this grisly exposition on the Japanese Yakuza, complete with photos of finger tips removed to atone for infractions against them, or within their ranks.
There's also a fascinating exhibit on the Mexican mob boss "El Chapo Guazman" and the tunnel that his associates dug out to free him from the maximum security prison he was incarcerated in.
The Mob Museum is located in downtown Las Vegas at 300 Stewart Avenue. It's open 9 am to 9 pm every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Tickets are $20.95 for adults if you buy online and $23.95 in person; $13.95 for Nevada residents with ID. There are also student, military and senior discounts. Children tickets are $13.95 or $10 for locals, and children under 10 are free.
Have you visited the Mob Museum? Share in the comments!
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