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By Doug, June 14, 2009 09:43

The Hacienda Horse and Rider is part of the outdoor walking tour associated with the Neon Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada

Where but Las Vegas would one find a museum dedicated to neon? If the strip has become too touristy for you and you long for the days when Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack ruled the casinos, then a trip to the Neon Museum is a must-do the next time you’re in town. There you can wander around a scrap heap of old signs that lit up now defunct casinos and other establishments in a surrealistic but interesting journey back through time.

Some of the signs have been restored and are in full working order while others sit out in the desert sun, rotting away. One of the most spectacular signs that has been restored back to its former glory is the Hacienda horse and rider that graces the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Hacienda Street, adjacent to the Freemont Experience in the downtown area. Similarly the magic lantern from the Aladdin now once again shines in its former glory, also part of the outdoor walking tour near the Freemont Experience.

Although tacky in the extreme, there’s still something magical about all the neon in Las Vegas. The next time you’re in Nevada, working on striking it rich at the slot machines, take a look around at what your money has built. It’s pretty interesting and amazing on so many levels.

The Neon Museum