Photo of the re-illumination of the Moulin Rouge sign at The Neon Museum.
(Photos courtesy of The Neon Museum)
HISTORIC MOULIN ROUGE SIGN RE-ILLUMINATED FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN THE NEON MUSEUM BONEYARD
WHAT:
For the first time since arriving at The Neon Museum Boneyard, the iconic Moulin Rouge sign was re-illuminated during a private event for museum donors and VIPs on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Museum President and Chief Executive Officer Rob McCoy greeted guests and along with Councilman Cedric Crear, City of Las Vegas; and Claytee White, director, UNLV’s Oral History Research Center told the history of the Moulin Rouge and what it means to Las Vegas.
FUN FACTS:
- To re-lamp the 11 letters, which range in height from 14- to 18-feet tall and span from 17 to 3 feet, Hartlauer Signs used more than 832 feet of neon tubing.
- Neon gas and phosphorous blue glass were used to give the neon its iconic, fluorescent pink color.
- Weighing in at 1,200 pounds, the letter “M” was one of many letters rearranged during the project.
- In total, re-electrification and reinstallation took 293 man-hours to complete.
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. It has been named “Best Museum” by Las Vegas Weekly, one of “Sin City’s Best Retro Sites” by MSN, “No. 1 Las Vegas Museum Sure to Entertain and Educate” by USA Today’s 10best.com, “One of the Top 10 Coolest Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do” by Forbes.com, one of the “Top 10 Historic Spots in Las Vegas” by Vegas.com; one of “15 Most Fascinating Museums in the U.S.” by VacationIdea.com; and earns a consistent 4.5 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor. On its 2.27-acre campus, the Neon Museum houses 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 nighttime augmented-reality, audiovisual spectacle, “Brilliant!”; the Boulevard Gallery outdoor exhibit and event space; and its visitors’ center, housed inside the former La Concha Motel lobby. The museum collection also includes nine restored signs installed as public art throughout downtown Las Vegas. Public education, outreach, research, archival preservation and a grant-funded neon sign survey represent a selection of the museum’s ongoing projects. Both the Neon Boneyard and the La Concha Visitors’ Center are located at 770 Las Vegas Blvd. North in Las Vegas. Click here for tour schedules and pricing information. Follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.