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Las Vegas Event Guide:
Las Vegas Historic Museum
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Contact Information:
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3801 Las Vegas Boulevard South 
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-739-5444
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Description:
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The newest addition to the Tropicana Resort & Casino is the Las Vegas Historic Museum, an exhibit that allows customers to take a peek into Las Vegas underworld, focusing on gaming, mobsters, entertainers and the brothels of Nevada.
Many interesting items can be found in the Gambling & Gangsters section of the museum. At the entrance of the museum, a video focuses on the Las Vegas Mafia and covers the rise and fall of mob influence and involvement. Several giant-size photos of well-known mobsters, such as Bugsy Siegel, Frank Rosenthal, and Al Capone decorate the walls. Bugsy's death certificate and Los Angeles Times articles with interesting stories about the mob days of Vegas are also on display. A replica of the black book can also be found, listing the names of all bad guys who have been banned from casinos. Several entertainers are represented in the museum. Statues of three members of the Rat Pack - Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Frank Sinatra - are displayed to symbolize their days of performing in the Copa Room at the Sands. Playing on a monitor nearby are scenes from the original Oceans Eleven movie, starring Old Blue Eyes. Memorabilia items of other entertainers, such as Louis Prima, Judy Garland, Wayne Newton, Elvis Presley and Liberace are also on display, including a photo of the Beatles performing at the Sahara.
Another section of the museum focuses on brothels in Nevada, giving customers a look into legalized prostitution. Back in 1950, 35 legal brothels were in operation in Nevada, including Mabel's Whorehouse, Madam Kitty's, Sheri's Ranch, the Green Lantern, the Mustang Ranch, and the Chicken Ranch, all of which are represented in the Las Vegas Historic Museum. Some of the items on display that could be found in a brothel back in their heyday consist of books the girls read, liquor decanters from 1960, old calendars, colorful lamps, an old-fashioned pink telephone, and a hairdryer. Brass tokens used to pay the women are also on display.
A variety of items from Las Vegas hotel/casinos, past and present, as well as information on several of the developers, can also be found in the museum. Highly collectible commemorative decanters from the Sahara, Harolds Club, and Caesars Palace fill one display case. Champaign bottles that were found in the Hacienda and the Landmark are also part of the exhibit. Memorabilia from the El Rancho fire can also be found. Vintage slot machines are set up in several areas of the museum, including one that was housed at the Golden Nugget. Several casino gaming chips and swizzle sticks are also present. Photos and other memorabilia detailing two of Las Vegas most famous developers, Steve Wynn and Howard Hughes, are also available for viewing.
More videos can be seen throughout the museum. One video tells the story of the various casino implosions and fires that have occurred over the past decade in Las Vegas. Another video shows a retrospective of the Las Vegas icon, Showgirls.
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