Rendering of Ne10, formerly Reed Whipple Cultural Center, from current
Neon Museum campus.
(Rendering courtesy of the Neon Museum)
NEON MUSEUM ANNOUNCES NEON2020 EXPANSION PLAN, ACQUIRES REED WHIPPLE CULTURAL CENTER
The Neon Museum announces the next phase of development: Neon2020. The centerpiece of this project involves the acquisition of the shuttered Reed Whipple Cultural Center, which sits directly across Las Vegas Boulevard from the Neon Boneyard.
This 32,000-square-foot addition doubles the size of the museum’s presence on Las Vegas Boulevard and will provide space for an indoor gallery, storage space for its ever-growing collection of vintage Las Vegas signs, as well as space for classrooms and future administrative offices. Remodeling will commence this summer and the first phase of completion is slated for first quarter of 2020. The building will be named Ne10, representing neon’s chemical symbol, Ne, and atomic number, 10.
A second component of the project will see the Neon Boneyard expanded upward, taking shape as a 30-foot-high grid structure on its northern end. With ground space at a premium in and around the Boneyard, this grid will allow the museum to display more signs above the ground. Electrified signs slated for exhibition on this grid include the Las Vegas Club, Binion’s and other classic designs.
“The Neon Museum has been a wonderfully successful addition to downtown, the city’s cultural center,” said Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman. “This expansion will allow the museum to continue its important work of preserving the city’s history through our iconic neon signs.”
“We are grateful to the City of Las Vegas, which continues to be a strategic partner in the museum’s continued development,” said Rob McCoy, president and chief executive officer, Neon Museum. “In addition to a long-term lease, the City is also providing a generous $2.2 million grant to help support ongoing operational costs, enabling us to offer more exhibition and education opportunities for the public. As always, we extend heartfelt thanks to our members and supporters for continuing to make the Neon Museum the Crown Jewel of Las Vegas!”
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 USAToday’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.