Vegas Q&A: Does Vegas Have Any Good Museums?

Question: Are there any good museums in Las Vegas? I know that's not why most people go there, but I try to hit at least one museum in every city I visit, so why should Las Vegas be any different?

Leo in Danbury, Conn.

Answer: It depends on your definition of museum. If you are looking for a traditional experience, there are a couple of fantastic facilities in town.

The Las Vegas Art Museum is a few miles from the Strip but totally worth the drive. It is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute, so the exhibits, events and showings are all first-rate, running the gamut from minimalism to whatever the opposite of minimalism is.

The Las Vegas Natural History Museum is a fun facility showcasing everything from dinosaurs to local flora and fauna. Much of the focus is on the Nevada region, but it has a wide enough view of things to make it worth the while.

If you're looking for more local color, check out The Clark County Heritage Museum, a fascinating complex that helps to explain how the city became what it is, from its early railroad days into the gambling era and more. It even has fully restored homes and buildings from the early days of the city on display.

If you are simply an art lover and don't care about the size of the building in which it rests, there are two terrific galleries right on the Strip. The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art features rotating exhibits of all different styles, and the Guggenheim/Hermitage gallery at the Venetian boasts works from the parent museums in New York and Russia, some of which are rarely seen outside of those particular venues.

Of course, this is Vegas, so if you don't mind broadening your definition of museum there's always the Liberace Museum. It should be on the "must" list of every Las Vegas visitor.

You can get more information on these and other museums plus other great things to do in Las Vegas in the Attractions section of Vegas4Visitors.com.

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