Councilman Cedric Crear presented a proclamation in the Neon Boneyard.
The Neon Museum received a special proclamation from the city of Las Vegas this evening to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the opening of its current campus on Las Vegas Boulevard in historic downtown Las Vegas on Oct. 27, 2012. Councilman Cedric Crear presented the proclamation in person to The Neon Museum’s executive director, Aaron Berger, inside the museum’s Neon Boneyard, home to its iconic neon sign collection.
“The Neon Museum brings great distinction and honor to Ward 5 and all of Las Vegas,” stated Councilman Cedric Crear. “As a Las Vegas native, I applaud the Museum’s commitment to telling the stories of our city’s history – including those stories that might be lesser known, like the civil rights effort in Las Vegas or the unique cultural contributions of community members. These are important historical stories for us to celebrate and for people to hear, now and for generations to come. I congratulate the Museum on its 10-year anniversary and look forward to supporting its future endeavors.”
“Receiving this recognition from the city of Las Vegas and Councilman Crear is a great honor because The Neon Museum would not exist had it not been for the support and efforts of the city,” said Aaron Berger, executive director of The Neon Museum. “We are incredibly fortunate to have our city leadership partner with us to preserve, present, and educate locals and visitors about the history of our great city.”
The Neon Museum celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special ticketed event at Jungle Palace, the private estate of former Las Vegas illusionists Siegfried & Roy. The once-in-a-lifetime outdoor formal affair included guided tours inside the remarkable home led by S & R company and crew who knew the pair well. The evening also included a special appearance by their stage partner and close friend, Lynette Chappell, known as “The Evil Queen.” Her intimate stories highlighted the on, and off-stage lives of Siegfried & Roy, and other friends and colleagues of the illusionists will share their personal anecdotes too.
At the event, The Neon Museum awarded the institution’s founding president, Barbara Molasky, with its Glow Award to recognize her steadfast dedication and extraordinary contributions to establishing The Neon Museum. Her efforts trace back to 1996, ultimately leading to the opening of the current museum campus in 2012, which has welcomed more than a million visitors over the last decade.
Founded in 1996, The Neon Museum is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying, and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment. Fully accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), The Neon Museum sits on a 2.27-acre campus. The Neon Museum has an outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard; the North Gallery, home to the immersive audiovisual experience “Brilliant! Jackpot” which uses technology to re-illuminate more than 40 non-operational signs; and its visitors’ center inside the former La Concha Motel lobby. The museum collection also includes nine restored signs installed as public art in downtown Las Vegas. Public education, outreach, research, and arts conservation represent a selection of the museum’s ongoing projects. For more information, including tour schedules and tickets, visit www.neonmuseum.org. Also follow @NeonMuseum on Facebook and Twitter and @theneonmuseumlasvegas on Instagram.