L to R: Blood and Betrayal: “Crazy Sal” Polisi’s Life in the New York Mafia; Exterior of The Mob Museum; The Courtroom Conversation: In Depth with Oscar Goodman.
(Photos courtesy of The Mob Museum)
THE MOB MUSEUM ANNOUNCES OCTOBER PROGRAMS SPANNING ORGANIZED CRIME IN NEW YORK, LAS VEGAS
The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, announces its roster of October public programs, including conversations with former New York mobster “Crazy Sal” Polisi and former Las Vegas Mayor and legendary defense attorney Oscar Goodman. More information about these compelling events, along with the complete list of October programs and ongoing promotions, follows.
Blood and Betrayal: “Crazy Sal” Polisi’s Life in the New York Mafia
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 15
Time: 7 to 8:15 p.m. followed by a book signing.
Location: Inside the historic courtroom. To RSVP to attend, click here.
Cost: Free for Museum Members or with Museum admission.
Description: Sal Polisi, a former associate in New York’s Colombo crime family, participated in hijackings, bank robberies and other daring crimes. He founded his own Mafia gambling den, the Sinatra Club, and rubbed shoulders with notorious criminals such as John Gotti, Jimmy Burke and Henry Hill. But as the feds closed in, Polisi faced a gut-wrenching decision: remain loyal to the family or flip on the men he called friends. In this penetrating conversation, Polisi will reflect on his criminal life, his escape from its clutches and the price he and his family paid to escape. A signing of Polisi’s book “The Sinatra Club” will follow the event.
Speakers:
- Sal Polisi, former Colombo crime family enforcer
- Geoff Schumacher, vice president of exhibits and programs, The Mob Museum
The Courtroom Conversation: In Depth with Oscar Goodman
Date: Thursday, Oct. 24
Time: 7 to 8 p.m.
Location: Inside the historic courtroom. Event is sold out.
Cost: Free for Museum Members or with Museum admission.
Description: Legendary Las Vegas defense attorney Oscar Goodman, in conversation with The Mob Museum’s Geoff Schumacher, will discuss his most notorious clients and toughest court battles. With his trademark candor, Goodman will reflect on his fabled career defending Tony Spilotro, Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, Vinny Ferrara, Phil Leonetti and other organized crime figures, as well as his unlikely transition from firebrand lawyer to popular three-term mayor of Las Vegas.
Speakers:
- Former City of Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman
- Geoff Schumacher, vice president of exhibits and programs, The Mob Museum
Family Secrets with Frank Calabrese Jr.
Dates: Wednesdays through Sundays in October; special hours here
Time: Top of every hour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Organized Crime Today exhibition
Cost: Free with Museum admission.
Description: Reformed mobster Frank Calabrese Jr. had only ever hoped to escape the tumultuous and violent life he had been groomed for by his own father, notorious Chicago Outfit enforcer and hitman Frank Calabrese Sr. Knowing there was only one way out of the life – to ensure his father was never back on the street – Calabrese Jr. contacted the FBI from prison where he and his father were both serving multi-year sentences. To secure the evidence the FBI needed to charge and eventually convict Sr. for life, Calabrese Jr. agreed to wear a wire in the prison yard to capture intimate conversations with his dad. To further cement his father’s fate, Jr. convinced his uncle Nick Calabrese to also testify against Frank Sr. Nick’s testimony helped the FBI solve 18 murders, including that of enforcer Anthony Spilotro, whose death was depicted in Martin Scorsese’s 1995 movie “Casino.” Calabrese Jr. now appears weekly at The Mob Museum to speak and reflect on risking it all to escape the life he never asked to be a part of. Visitors are invited to join Calabrese Jr. Wednesdays-Sundays to hear his story of family, violence, addiction, greed and ultimately redemption. Calabrese Jr.’s telling of his life story leaves audiences stunned as he exemplifies the true cost of organized crime.
Walter White’s Last Ride Raffle
Date: Now through Sunday, Dec. 15
Location: Raffle tickets are available onsite at The Mob Museum and online at TheMobMuseum.org/raffle for those 21 years of age and older.
Cost: Tickets start at $5.
Description: For a limited time, the Museum presents the chance for one lucky winner to drive away in the 1977 Cadillac Sedan DeVille d’Elegance driven by Bryan Cranston as Walter White – aka Heisenberg – in the series finale of AMC’s hit series “Breaking Bad.” Proceeds from the raffle will support The Mob Museum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, in delivering its mission to advance the public understanding of organized crime’s history and impact on American society through exhibits, public programming and educational outreach. Participants must be 21 years of age or older. Full raffle rules and details can be found at themobmuseum.org/raffle.
ABOUT THE MOB MUSEUM
The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, provides a world-class journey through true stories—from the birth of the Mob to today’s headlines. The Mob Museum offers a provocative, contemporary look at these topics through hundreds of artifacts and immersive storylines. Numerous interactive exhibits include a Crime Lab, Firearm Training Simulator and Organized Crime Today exhibit. The Museum is also home to The Underground, a Prohibition history exhibition featuring a speakeasy and distillery. The Mob Museum has accumulated numerous accolades, including being named one of Tripadvisor’s “Top 25 U.S. Museums” and a 2024 “Travelers’ Choice” Award recipient; one of Las Vegas Weekly’s “Twenty Greatest Attractions in Las Vegas History” and “Best Museum” of 2021, 2023 and 2024; Vegas Magazine’s “Best Historical Museum” of 2024; one of National Geographic’s “Top 10 Things to Do in Las Vegas;” USA Today’s “Best Museum in Nevada,” 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards for “Best Las Vegas Attraction” in 2021 and 2022, “Top Five Best History Museums in the United States” in 2021 and one of its “12 Can’t Miss U.S. Museum Exhibits;” named “A Must for Travelers” by The New York Times and one of “20 Places Every American Should See” by FOX News. The Museum is a two-time winner of the Mayor’s Urban Design Award for Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The Museum is open daily; visit the website for admission rates and operating hours. For more information, call (702) 229-2734, visit themobmuseum.org, or download the Museum’s free mobile app.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
www.Facebook.com/themobmuseum
www.Twitter.com/themobmuseum
www.Instagram.com/themobmuseum