About The Mob Museum
A visit to The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, offers an experience unlike any other. Taking guests on a world-class journey through true stories that chronicle the history of the Mob while exploring the age-old dichotomy of good guys vs. bad guys, the Museum curates a provocative exploration of these two intertwined paths through hundreds of captivating artifacts and immersive storytelling. Interactive exhibits like the Crime Lab and Firearm Training Simulator provide a hands-on experience encouraging guests to use intuition and instinct to navigate realistic storylines and situations. In the Museum’s basement, The Underground speakeasy serves up reimagined cocktails, inspired from the recipes of the Prohibition era. The Underground distillery replicates the sights, sounds and tastes of the time with a working copper still where The Mob Museum’s house moonshine is crafted. In true Las Vegas fashion, The Museum seamlessly melds intrigue with explanation, leading guests on a fascinating historical journey through the facts, fiction and everything in between.
The Inside Story
The Mob Museum’s collection of exhibits, artifacts and high-tech audio-visual displays is ever-growing and evolving to reflect new information and acquisitions. Topics examine the Mob’s origins and persistence in modern times, its influence on the city and economy of Las Vegas and the overall portrayal of the Mob in pop culture. Exhibits highlight important law enforcement victories while exploring the violence, corruption, conspiracy and murder that make up the Mob’s embattled timeline.
The Family and the Feds
The Mob Museum provides an insider’s perspective into organized crime’s most notorious players and those who fought back. Hear the infamous tales of mobsters like Al Capone, Dion O’Banion, George “Bugs” Moran, Charles “Lucky” Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, Sam Giancana, Joe Bonanno, Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, Mickey Cohen, Tony Spilotro, John Gotti and Whitey Bulger. Then hear the other side with first-hand accounts from FBI agents like Joe Pistone, who went undercover as Donnie Brasco, and Jack Garcia who infiltrated the Gambino family.
A Momentous Opening Day
The Mob Museum opened to the public on February 14, 2012, on the 83rd anniversary of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. On that historic day in Mob history, seven men from the Bugs Moran gang were lined up in front of a wall and murdered by Al Capone’s South Side gang. The murders made the front page of every daily paper in the United States and in many foreign countries. Today, that very same bullet-riddled brick wall can be found on display at the Museum as a significant reminder of that fateful day.
Building Significance and History
One of the Museum’s most prized artifacts is the Las Vegas building it calls home. Once a U.S. Post Office and federal courthouse, the striking neoclassical structure was the setting of one of the influential Kefauver Committee Hearings, aimed to expose organized crime in America. The meticulous rehabilitation of the historically significant building was part of the vision of former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman who not only wanted to preserve the Depression Era structure, but also document the tumultuous power struggle between law enforcement and organized crime.
Included in the National Register of Historic Places, the building earned the 2018 Mayor’s Urban Design Award for Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse for The Underground as well as the Historic Preservation Award by the City of Las Vegas in 2012. The building was also recognized with the LEED Silver Status Award by the U.S. Green Building Council.
The 41,000-square-foot building includes nearly 20,000 square feet of exhibition space on four floors in addition to a specialty retail store, special event space, educational areas and offices.
World-Class Design
The Mob Museum was designed by the same best-in-class team who is responsible for other successful museums including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio and the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. The experienced team of staff, board members and consultants worked together to create a world-renowned facility that would appeal to tourists and locals while also reinvigorating the downtown Las Vegas neighborhood it calls home. Dr. Dennis Barrie and Kathleen Hickey Barrie led the talented design team comprised of filmmakers, exhibit fabricators and digital media firms to create one of the city’s most beloved attractions.
Board of Directors
The Mob Museum boasts a highly respected Board of Directors including government officials, judiciary and law enforcement officers, media professionals and members of the business community. The 501(c)3 non-profit governing board is headed by Jeffrey A. Silver, Esq, a community leader and one of Nevada’s pre-eminent gaming law practitioners. Other key visionaries include presiding Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, and former Mayor Oscar B. Goodman, who made a name for himself representing mobsters such as Meyer Lansky, Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal and Tony Spilotro, among others.
Mission and Core Values
The Mob Museum’s mission is to advance the public understanding of organized crime’s history and impact on American society.
Community Involvement
In line with its core value, Commitment to Community, The Mob Museum collaborates with various community partners to strengthen southern Nevada. The Museum works with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to provide free Community Safety Forums, sponsored by NV Energy. The Museum is also committed to supporting the community through education and senior outreach and programs, camps and a robust events calendar, offering opportunities for both education and entertainment. The Mob Museum also offers ongoing discounts to Nevada residents, students, law enforcement and the military.
Noteworthy Accolades
The Mob Museum has collected numerous awards and recognition from prestigious publications and organizations.
- USA Today – Top 5 Best History Museum in the US and Best Museum in Nevada
- 2021 Top Workplaces in Nevada
- Las Vegas Weekly – 20 Greatest Attractions in Las Vegas History
- National Geographic – Top 10 Things to Do in Las Vegas
- TripAdvisor – Top 25 U.S. Museums
- 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Awards (2020 and 2021) – Best Las Vegas Attraction
- New York Times – A Must for Travelers
- Fox News – 20 Places Every American Should See
- Mayor’s Urban Design Award (two times) – Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse
- American Association for State and Local History – 2021 Leadership in History Award Winner
- Nevada Magazine, Best of Nevada 2019 – Best Place to Get Married
View a full list of Awards and Accolades.
Accreditation
In 2017, The Mob Museum received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded U.S. museums. Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, only about 1,000 are currently accredited. Applying for accreditation through AAM involves a rigorous process where museums must demonstrate excellence in core characteristics related to collections stewardship, organizational health, education, planning, public service and overall commitment to excellence.
Ticket Pricing
Explore a full list of prices for experiences, passes, and tickets including local discounts and membership options.
Hours of Operation
The Mob Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. unless posted otherwise. Get familiar with special events, speakeasy hours of operation, peak periods, early closures and more.
Social Media
Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @TheMobMuseum
Connect with us on Facebook @TheUndergroundAtTheMobMuseum and Instagram @MobMuseum_Underground
Mobile App
Available free for Apple and Android devices, The Mob Museum mobile app is both fun and informative, offering vital museum information alongside exciting side missions.
App features:
- Interactive Museum map
- DOPPELGANGSTER – Find out which hero, villain or associate of the Mob world you most closely resemble
- Self-guided tours – including the best selfie hot spots
- Mob missions – scour the Museum for clues and answers
- And more!
Read the press release and download the app.
Photos and Videos for Media Use
Explore official Mob Museum images and approved b-roll footage for media use.
Media Contact
Ashley Miller, Vice President of Marketing, Communications & Sales
The Mob Museum 702-724-8612
amiller@themobmuseum.org.