Last updated on February 26th, 2024 at 09:27 pm
Curious about the Mob Museum in Las Vegas? I’ve got all the details here!
The Mob Museum offers an authentic look at organized crime from its roots in the late 1800s through today. A quintessentially “Vegas” experience, the Mob Museum Las Vegas features artifacts, photos, and interactive exhibits that explore organized crime, as well as how law enforcement works to stop them.
But is it kid-friendly?
Keep reading for a full review of the Mob Museum Las Vegas based on our personal experience after several visits and see why this is an attraction the whole family will enjoy!
The Mob Museum Las Vegas
Located in downtown Las Vegas, the Mob Museum delivers a history lesson that can only happen in Vegas. Officially named the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, the Mob Museum traces the history of the mob, not just in Las Vegas but from its roots in Chicago and New York.
Although it is fairly new (it opened on February 14, 2012, on the 83rd anniversary of the notorious St Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago), the Mob Museum is housed in the former Las Vegas Post Office and Courthouse, built in 1933.
Las Vegas Mob Museum: Is it Good for Kids?
The Mob Museum is one of several great must see museums in Las Vegas. It is interactive and very visual, which kids love. But it is also home to many exhibits displaying famous crimes committed by the mob including, the blood spattered-wall from the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre and a real electric chair.
There is also a room that displays dozens of graphic photos of dead bodies and crime scene victims – but warning signs are clearly on display so you can avoid these spots if necessary.
So while the Mob Museum welcomes guests of all ages, it probably is better suited for older children.
Mob History on Display
I’ve been fortunate enough to visit twice and each time was equally taken in by the Mob Museum’s amazing exhibits! Although some of the information is quite macabre, it is put together in a classy and totally tasteful way, with warnings where necessary before going into a particularly graphic exhibit.
Among the museum’s top showpieces is a section of the bullet-ridden wall from the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. The one-of-kind St. Valentine’s Day Massacre display is the blood-stained wall where the infamous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre took place in Chicago on February 14, 1929, when seven men affiliated with Bugs Moran’s gang were lined up along the wall and shot dead by Al Capone’s South Side Italian gang.
Adjacent to the wall, a plaque educates visitors on the history and significance of this major event in mafia history.
Other exhibits at the Mob Museum focus on mafia violence, casino money skimming and wiretapping, featuring interactive exhibits, games, films and real like artifacts from throughout the mob’s history.
On display too are real weapons used by mob hit men. Stories are brought to life with engaging and interactive displays, audio clips from real conversations and unparalleled insights from those on the front lines of both sides of the mafia battle. There is also a great exhibit on the City of Las Vegas tracing its roots through modern times.
Guide to Mob Museum Exhibits
Here is a guide to the permanent exhibits on each floor of the museum. Visitors are directed to start on the third floor and work their way down.
Third Floor
- Birth of the Mob
- A Tough Little Town
- Prohibition
- St. Valentine’s Day Massacre
- The feds Fight Back
- Follow the Money
- The Tentacles Spread
Second Floor
- The Kefauver Hearings
- Open City
- Web of Deceit
- Mob’s Greatest Hits
First Floor
- 100 Years of Made Men
- Listening In
- Crime Lab Experience
- Organized Crime Today
- Firearm Training Simulator
Basement
- The Underground
- The Distillery
- Speakeasy
The Mob Museum Underground
In 2018 the Mob Museum completed a $6.5 million upgrade. The new spaces include an exhibit focused on Prohibition and the 1920s, a working distillery and speakeasy in the basement of the Mob Museum.
A trip down to the basement is now a trip back in time, to the Prohibition era, when thousands of speakeasies were operating in the shadows. The museum’s newest exhibit, called The Underground, is a collection of artifacts and stories from the Roaring 20s – including the history of bootlegging and rum running.
Just down the hall past the main exhibits is the new Speakeasy. Enter through a secret door and you’re transported into an art-deco real bar. Adults can even sip moonshine or order a Prohibition cocktail in this working distillery and speakeasy. Appetizers and small bites are also available.
Age Requirements
The Mob Museum is family-friendly and open to all ages, but children under 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Again, this is definitely an attraction best suited for teens and adults.
There are also some age restrictions if you are planning to participate in any special experiences. Children must be 11 years old and over to participate in Crime Lab Experience, and 16 years old and over to participate in the Firearm Training Simulator (parental consent is required for minors under 18).
The Distillery Tour is only open to adults 21 and over.
Mob Museum Hours
For more information on the Mob Museum, visit themobmuseum.org.
Planning a Vegas family vacation? Don’t miss these fun and free things to do in Las Vegas with kids.
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