Museums in Las Vegas

Las Vegas museums aren't the usual collection of art and artifacts. You'll find impressive collections of history, many of them hands-on. If you've ever wanted to know about early Las Vegas, why the atomic bomb is a part of the city's past, or the subtleties of the erotic, Las Vegas museums will answer all of your questions.

Plentiful water in the Las Vegas valley has been attracting people for centuries. At the Springs Preserve, you can see the place that inspired the city's name, which means "the meadows." The Springs Preserve is also a "green" facility, and holds innovative displays at the Origen Museum, including a flash flood simulation. Not far away, the earliest non-native Las Vegas settlement has been restored at the Old Mormon Fort, including a recreated version of the original creek that flowed through the area.

More modern history is detailed at the Atomic Testing Museum. This museum traces the history of the Nevada Test Site along with a detailed look at the history and development of nuclear power as we know it.

The railroad was also instrumental in early Las Vegas, which began modern life as a railroad stop. In Boulder City, you can take a short ride in restored antique cars.

For a closer look at the erotic--and what better place than in "Sin City"--visit the Erotic Heritage Museum. Not for the shy or the young, this is an actual museum that takes a serious look at sexuality.

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