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| - "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster." - Henry Hill in Goodfellas (and secretly most guys watching the movie)
The Mob Museum was better than expected (3.5 stars), but, at $20/person, not exactly an offer you can't refuse. Here's what Wise Guys know:
* Open 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. Fri/Sat)
* Adult: $20; Child (10-17): $14; Under 10: Free; Seniors/Military: $16;
* Nevada Residents can save $6 ... so $14 and $10
* $30 Tickets for 2 Museums available: Neon Museum plus Mob Museum
* Parking Lot next to Mob Museum is $5 ... or use a downtown casino lot & walk
* Located inside the historic (1933) Las Vegas Federal Courthouse & Post Office
* The self-guided tour takes a couple hours and covers 3 floors
* The Mob Museum shows how Prohibition led to the expansion of the Mafia
* The real wall from the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago is there
* Exhibits cover legends Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel
* Also Sam Giancana, Lefty Rosenthal, Mickey Cohen, John Gotti, & Whitey Bulger
* The FBI & government get props for their battle against the mafia
* Weapons, crime scene pics, and mob stories are everywhere
* Lots of photographs of real mobsters and stories of their "real" families
* The history of Las Vegas in the pictures/displays was very interesting to me
* There's as much memorabilia of Las Vegas as there is for La Costa Nostra
* Original casino/bar photos were fascinating; my how far Vegas has come
* Liked displays on connections between mob families in different U.S. cities
* One floor is dedicated to the actual Courtroom used for a Kefauver Hearing in 1950
* Of course, Mob Movies are highlighted/celebrated, too.
* No food/beverages, professional cameras, or large bags ... and no weapons
* Small Mob Museum Gift Shop had some friendly people working there
At times, the Mob Museum feels like a romanticized Hall of Fame for organized criminals and law enforcement catching them. Because it is relatively modern, many of the displays keep your attention. It's not in the "must-visit" category for a Vegas vacation or weekend, but if you're tired of the casinos, clubs, shows, and action on the Las Vegas Strip then you may consider the Mob Musuem to "see what everyone's not talking about."
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