So I've had a coupon for free admission to this thing that has just been laying around for months. A couple of days ago I decided it was time to finally use them. My philosophy with anything free is "why not?"
The location of the attraction is close to the deepest caverns of the massive cavern that is the MGM Grand. A place I usually avoid because I never fail to get at least slightly lost. When you enter, you're treated to an overpriced gift shop. Upon paying, they give you a color coded sheet of paper and its on to the exhibit.
I for one am not a fan of CSI, so I was quite jaded at the introduction while everyone around me was cheering. Go figure. After all that wad done, we went to our specific crime scene to "investigate." We were given the car crash scene, which ended up being a setup by a drunken man to cover-up killing his twin brother.
The exhibit in of itself was pretty interesting. You draw clues on your piece of paper and take it to the "lab," a series of computer stations and props used to take part in an elementary school-level forensics investigation. It was rather insightful and would be the perfect introduction for a kid interested in forensics.
All that being said, its a very quick experience. You could be in and out of here in less than 30 minutes. Which made me all the more glad that I had a free admission ticket as admission is $31.50 at face. Ouch. Oh and you dont get anything for cracking your case except having your photo taken (which you have to pay for anyway) and an invitation to their website. Classy.
The Final Verdict
Pros:
Nice way to kill 30 minutes.
Great for those interested in forensics
Interactive and educational
Cons:
Pricey admission at face. Practically a rip off I'd say.
Only lasts for about 30 minutes.
Return factor. 5/10. Only worth it if I have another free admission coupon.