Museum of Gaming History Debuts Moulin Rouge Exhibit at The Neon Museum
The Museum of Gaming History (MoGH) installed at The Neon Museum a new exhibit of artifacts from the Moulin Rouge Casino and Hotel, the first major racially integrated gaming property that also played a crucial role in ending segregation in Las Vegas.
Located in the museum’s La Concha visitor center, the exhibit includes artifacts such as promotional materials, gaming chips, souvenirs, dinnerware, and postcards, all providing a glimpse into the groundbreaking property that made history when it opened and as the location of a pivotal civil rights meeting in March 1960 that led to the beginning of the end of segregation in hotels and casinos.
Among the many artifacts in the exhibit, guests will see a Moulin Rouge promotional flyer that epitomizes the property’s historical significance: “For years men have dreamed of a resort where everyone would be welcomed regardless of color, race or creed. Today that bold dream has come true in Las Vegas, and it has come true in breath-taking fashion.”
Last year, The Neon Museum reassembled and re-illuminated the monumental Moulin Rouge sign to accurately portray how it was originally displayed. Adding the MoGH exhibit complements the museum’s commitment to showcasing the unique history and culture of Las Vegas.
Early on, boxer Joe Louis and the iconic Rat Pack frequented and endorsed the property. Though the original run of the casino was brief, its impact on the Las Vegas community and history is long lasting. The property was revived multiple times throughout its history, including in the 1980s and 1990s when community members and preservationists worked together to get the property listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Museum of Gaming History offers visitors and casino history enthusiasts the opportunity to explore more of Las Vegas, while viewing it through the lens of the city’s past. The MoGH now sponsors eight unique gaming memorabilia exhibits located all over town, including the most recent Moulin Rouge exhibit at The Neon Museum.
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 ranked No. 1 in Las Vegas Weekly’s list of “Twenty Greatest Attractions in Las Vegas History,” 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 immersive audiovisual spectacle “Brilliant!” which uses technology advances to re-illuminate more than 40 non-operational signs; the new 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. The museum is located at 770 N. Las Vegas Blvd. in Las Vegas. For more information, including tour schedules and tickets, visit www.neonmuseum.org. Also follow @NeonMuseum on Facebook and Twitter and @theneonmuseumlasvegas on Instagram.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF GAMING HISTORY
The Museum of Gaming History is an educational project of the Casino Collectables Association, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) club devoted to the fast-growing hobby of collecting casino memorabilia. With the mission of preserving gaming history, the Museum of Gaming History is currently an expanding series of kiosk exhibits in Las Vegas located within The El Cortez and Plaza casinos, the Nevada State, Mob and Neon Museums, and the National Atomic Testing Museum. A single permanent location is the ultimate goal. The world’s largest casino chip and token collection, as recognized by Guinness World Records, will proudly be on display at the Casino Collectibles Association’s annual show June 17-19, 2021, at the South Point Casino in Las Vegas. Featuring dealers and exhibitors of casino memorabilia from all over the world, the convention is open to the public. Learn more about all eight Museum of Gaming History exhibits, dubbed the “Trail of the MoGH”, at http://museumofgaminghistory.org/mogh.php?p=exhibit.
