The Mob Museum is in downtown Las Vegas. Its full name is The National Museum of Organized Crime Law Enforcement Las Vegas, and it sits across Ogden Avenue from Downtown Grand. The building is a former federal courthouse, which has seen its fair share of organized crime figures come through its doors. The building was constructed in 1933. Before becoming obsolete, it operated as a federal building for 70 years.
Only in Vegas: From Courthouse to Mobster Museum
Oscar Goodman was the mayor of Las Vegas at the time of the closure. He suggested that the city acquire the property and create the Mob Museum as part of the downtown revitalization. The federal government agreed to gift the building and property to the city if it agreed to keep it historically preserved. The Mob Museum opened on February 14, 2012.
![Las Vegas Mob Museum Insider Look](https://www.onlineunitedstatescasinos.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Las-Vegas-Mob-Museum-Insider-Look.jpg)
Key Highlights
- The Mob Museum used to be a federal courthouse.
- The museum opened on Valentine’s Day, 2012.
- There is a speakeasy in the basement.
- Entry tickets range from $19.45 to $54.95 – Nevada residents get a discount.
Tickets For The Mob Museum
On July 10, 2024, my wife and I visited the Mob Museum. There are three Mob Museum admissions options.1 The Premier Pass, Deluxe Pass, and General Admission.
The Premier Pass includes two interactive exhibits and a full tour. Deluxe includes one interactive exhibit and a full tour. General Admission only includes the tour.
We chose General Admission because the interactive exhibit features were not clear.
Ticket prices depend on whether the guest is a Nevada resident or not.
Visitors
- Premier Pass: $54.95
- Deluxe Pass: $49.95
- General Admission: $34.95
Nevada Residents
- Premier Pass: $38.95
- Deluxe Pass: $32.95
- General Admission: $19.95
Tour Starts on the Third Floor
![Prohibition and Massacre Wall Mob Museum](https://www.onlineunitedstatescasinos.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Prohibition-and-Massacre-Wall-Mob-Museum.jpg)
While you can start the tour anywhere, I recommend going to the third floor first. There are elevators or stairs available.
The third floor tells the story of how the mob started to organize and take over East Coast cities before moving out West.
It takes guests through Prohibition and has a St. Valentine’s Day Massacre wall (as seen in the picture) that includes evidence of the crimes.
The second floor is mainly related to Las Vegas. A film discussing its history, including the fact that it was home to the first federal Las Vegas courtroom, features the spot where the judge sat decades ago.
The third floor tells the story of how the mob started to organize and take over East Coast cities before moving out West.
An Electric Chair for “Guests”
![John and Kristina Mehaffey at the Mob Museum in Las Vegas](https://www.onlineunitedstatescasinos.com/app/uploads/2024/07/The-Mehaffeys-at-the-Mob-Museum.jpg)
Rooms show the history of Las Vegas’s legalized gambling, including memorabilia from classic casinos like Riviera, Tropicana, Stardust, and Flamingo.
An exhibit shows hits mobsters were accused of committing. Guests may sit in a mock electric chair with straps and a switch located behind it.
I joked that this picture demonstrates what my wife will do the next time I come home late chasing a big royal flush progressive at the local video poker bar.
Further down the hallway, we saw displays of footage from actual hit crime scenes. There are also pictures of innocent victims who got caught in the crossfire.
I joked that this picture demonstrates what my wife will do the next time I come home late chasing a big royal flush progressive at the local video poker bar.
John Mehaffey
The Basement Speakeasy
Our tour ended in the basement. The downstairs hallway is full of information and exhibits of the prohibition era. Through a “secret” doorway, we found a speakeasy, The Underground.
Our group had a drink there. The place delivers drinks in ways that do not make it look like alcohol. For example, an Old Fashioned has the alcohol cleverly disguised in a book with a cutout in it. My cream soda with moonshine looked like a milkshake.
The speakeasy has a secret room behind a painting. This is for groups willing to pay a premium for private seating. It is a large lounge seating area and television.
The moonshine is distilled on the premises. The speakeasy does not require paying for Mob Museum admission. There is an entrance on the street level for it.
And Then Dinner
After the tour, our group had dinner at Hugo’s Cellar at Four Queens. It was an exceptional dining experience, and we highly recommend it.
![Mob Museum Las Vegas Basement](https://www.onlineunitedstatescasinos.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Mob-Museum-Las-Vegas-300x225.jpg)
![Basement Speakeasy The Underground at The Mob Museum in Las Vegas](https://www.onlineunitedstatescasinos.com/app/uploads/2024/07/The-Underground-at-The-Mob-Museum-300x225.jpg)
![The Underground at the Mob Museum in Las Vegas](https://www.onlineunitedstatescasinos.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Speakeasy-The-Underground-Mob-Museum-300x225.jpg)
Photos courtesy of John and Kristina Mehaffey
1 https://admission.themobmuseum.org/