30-FOOT MIRAGE HOTEL & CASINO ARCHWAY SIGN BEGINS ITS JOURNEY TO THE NEON MUSEUM
Donated by Hard Rock International® in Collaboration with The PENTA Building Group and The PENTA CARES Foundation, Iconic Piece Transported to YESCO for Restoration
Yesterday, The Mirage Hotel & Casino’s former archway sign began its journey to The Neon Museum. The 30-foot-long piece – which was graciously donated by Hard Rock International in collaboration with The PENTA Building Group and The PENTA CARES Foundation – was transported out of the former property by legendary sign company YESCO.
Credit: The Neon Museum
“With great thanks to Hard Rock International and The PENTA CARES Foundation, the iconic Mirage will live on for generations in The Neon Museum’s collection,” said Aaron Berger, Executive Director of The Neon Museum. “This property was pivotal in the development of Las Vegas. Through this artifact and others being donated, the Museum will be able to tell incredible stories ranging from gaming, to hospitality, casino design and the architectural feat of building a volcano on Las Vegas Blvd.”
The iconic Mirage sign – which has welcomed guests from Las Vegas Boulevard for the past 34 years – will live on within The Neon Museum’s collection. The Neon Museum also will receive other artifacts from The Mirage, including a beloved gold-painted sculpture depicting legendary magicians Siegfried & Roy and a cursive script sign that sat in the Volcano Lagoon. Various statues and pieces will also be donated to The Neon Museum after the completion of The Mirage’s public art auction in September.
The Mirage opened its doors on November 22, 1989 and housed special attractions such as the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. The hotel was decked out in a Polynesian theme and its Volcano fountain was one of the first sidewalk attractions on the Las Vegas Strip. It was known as a venue where tourists could see Sigfried & Roy taming white tigers or a Cirque du Soleil act set to a Beatles song. 
Hard Rock® took over operations of The Mirage in December of 2022, where it was later released that the property would close on July 17, 2024, to undergo renovations. The updated resort plans to open in 2027.
The Neon Museum is open daily and includes an outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard, filled with some of Las Vegas’ most iconic neon signs; the North Gallery, home to the immersive audiovisual experience “Brilliant! Jackpot” which uses technology to re-illuminate more than 40 non- operational signs; the Boulevard Gallery outdoor exhibit and event space; and its visitors’ center inside the former La Concha Motel lobby.
About The Neon Museum
Founded in 1996, The Neon Museum is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying, and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment. In 2021, The Neon Museum achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition bestowed to museums in the United States. On its 2.27-acre campus, The Neon Museum has an outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard (“boneyard” is traditionally the name for an area where items no longer in use are stored); the North Gallery, home to the immersive audiovisual experience “Brilliant!” which uses technology to re-illuminate more than 40 non-operational signs; and its visitors’ center inside the former La Concha Motel lobby. The museum collection also includes 14 restored signs installed as public art in downtown Las Vegas. Public education, outreach, research, and arts preservation represent a selection of the museum’s ongoing projects. For more information, including tour schedules and tickets, visit www.neonmuseum.org. Also follow @NeonMuseum on Facebook and Twitter and @theneonmuseumlasvegas on Instagram.