Vancouverscape, a Vancouver based blog covering travel, tech, and lifestyle

Sin City is filled with attractions and experiences to suit all ages, interests, and budgets. After some online research, I found a handful of activities to check out to include in our Vegas pop culture guide.

The Mob Museum

A visit to The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, offers an experience unlike any other. Taking guests on a world-class journey through true stories that chronicle the history of the Mob while exploring the age-old dichotomy of good guys vs. bad guys, the Museum provides a compelling deep dive into these two intertwined paths through hundreds of artifacts and immersive storytelling.

A highlight during my visit was a talk given by Frank Calabrese Jr., a Chicago Mafia turncoat who wore a wire tap against his own father, Frank Sr.

During Frank’s “40 years in 40 minutes” engaging talk, we get the first-hand scoop of growing up in the Mob, how he secretly recorded his father while both were imprisoned, and the lead-up to the 2007 Operation Family Secrets trial that exposed the murders and secured convictions against Calabrese Sr. and other mobsters.

Three floors of interactive exhibits provide a hands-on experience that encourages guests to use intuition and instinct to navigate realistic storylines and situations.

[Fourth World Series game played in Cincinnati; ticket from third floor exhibition]

Gamblers, allegedly including New York crime boss Arnold Rothstein, conspired with eight Chicago White Sox players to throw the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. After the fix was uncovered, the White Sox players, including star outfielder Shoeless Joe Jackson, were banned for life from professional baseball.

Hear the infamous tales of mobsters like Al Capone, Dion O’Banion, George “Bugs” Moran, Charles “Lucky” Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, Sam Giancana, Joe Bonanno, Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, Mickey Cohen, Tony Spilotro, John Gotti and Whitey Bulger.

[Smith & Wesson .38 Special owned by undercover federal agent Mike Malone, who played a key role in bringing down Al Capone]

Then hear the other side with first-hand accounts from FBI agents such as Joe Pistone, who went undercover as Donnie Brasco, and Jack Garcia, who infiltrated the Gambino family.

[During Prohibition, the only legal way to obtain booze was via a doctor’s prescription. Alcohol was used as a treatment for headaches, nausea, diabetes, and other “conditions”.]

Topics examine the Mob’s origins and persistence in modern times, its influence on the city and economy of Las Vegas, and the overall portrayal of the Mob in pop culture.

In the museum’s basement, The Underground speakeasy serves up reimagined cocktails (and mocktails), inspired by Prohibition-era recipes.

[Mocktails at The Underground]

The Underground distillery replicates the sights, sounds, and tastes of the time with a working copper still where The Mob Museum’s house moonshine is crafted.

One of the museum’s most prized artifacts is the building that it’s housed in. Once a U.S. Post Office and federal courthouse, the striking neoclassical structure was the setting of one of the influential Kefauver Committee Hearings, aimed to expose organized crime in America.

The meticulous rehabilitation of the historically significant building was part of the vision of former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman who not only wanted to preserve the Depression Era structure, but to also document the tumultuous power struggle between law enforcement and organized crime.

The Mob Museum was designed by the same team as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition at Luxor Hotel and Casino

Experience the wonder and tragedy of the RMS Titanic, the world’s most famous ocean-liner. Viewed by more than 35 million people worldwide, this exhibition is one of the highest attended in history.

Over 350 authentic artifacts recovered from the Titanic’s wreck site, as well as extensive recreations of some of the most famous rooms from the ship, make this a wonderful all-ages activity to enjoy while in town.

Temperature, humidity, and light are the three main components of deterioration. A team of conservators that specialize in textiles, papers, woods, metals, ceramics and leathers work tirelessly to conserve these timeless artifacts.

I had the pleasure of visiting the massive Titanic Experience in Belfast earlier this year; the Luxor exhibition provides an informative overview as compared to that much larger collection across the pond.

The Punk Rock Museum

The Punk Rock Museum houses an incredible display of artifacts, fliers, photos, clothing, instruments, handwritten lyrics, artwork, and just about everything else imaginable, either on loan or donated by bands and fans alike.

I was lucky to be in town when Karina Deniké (of NOFX, Dance Hall Crashers fame) was leading a tour. For over two hours, her lively and engaging talk included mentions of personal influences such as The Germs, Adam Ant, Deborah Harry, Poison Ivy (The Cramps), L7, Alice Bag (the Bags), and Poly Styrene (X-Ray Spex).

As Deniké grew up in the UK, outspoken badass female artists such as Styrene inspired her to get into music.

[For the Descendents fans in the house]

[Original hand-written lyrics by the Clash to London Calling]

Within the museum’s first (of many!) rooms, Deniké pointed to several photos of musicians that she’s both befriended over the years and that her own bands have opened up for, including No Use For a Name.

[An entire wall of flyers FTW – this is just one section]

[A happy surprise to find the flyer of a show that I saw in 1983 at LA’s Olympic Auditorium!]

Allow plenty of time to take in this ever-growing collection of punk – in all its facets – over the decades. The museum is continually adding items, so a repeat visit is never a bad idea.

[Gig space]

The museum also houses a small record store and tattoo parlour on the second floor, and on the main floor is the Three Star Punk Bar and adjacent gift shop.

In addition to the amazing artifacts is a guitar room where you can play actual guitars and basses from Rise Against, NOFX, Pennywise, Sick of it All, Strung Out, and many more. But what happens if something gets broken? “We fix it – just like we did on tour.”

Mystère by Cirque du Soleil at Treasure Island Las Vegas

Mystère premiered on Christmas 1993, making it Cirque du Soleil’s longest-running production. This 90-minute production inside TI takes the viewer on a spectacular journey that questions the origins of life, and the gift of human imagination.

[Spermato and Spermatines]

This show dazzles with 64 artists on stage and 65 technicians making the magic come to life from behind the scenes.

From biologically-charged costumes to the powerful, throbbing beats of Taïko drums—a key aspect of the production—Mystère is filled with various artistic elements designed to mesmerize, captivate, and inspire.

From the start of the first act, the vibrant costumes and intricate set design immediately evoke the beauty of nature, precisely how Costume Designer Dominique Lemieux and Set Designer Michel Crête envisioned bringing the visual elements of this story to life.

Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart at AREA15

Meow Wolf’s immersive art experience began as a collective of Santa Fe-based artists, designers, technologists, writers, fabricators, painters, sculptors and musicians. There is no order to view the space: Just be open to opening portals (doors), answering a ringing phone, and playing with screens, buttons and the like.

Walking through Omega Mart is a colourful, futuristic, humourous experience where visitors can squeeze the Happles and shop for one-of-a-kind items found nowhere else on the planet (think Tattooed Plushie Chickens and Cage Free Toes (egg crate slippers!).

No two people will get the same visit. Plan on a couple of hours here, as the rooms and landscape are constantly moving and changing!

[Painted Desert of Seven Monolith Village]

There’s also lots of seating to take it all in and watch others at play.

Pushing the boundaries of art since 2008, Meow Wolf now has five locations (Santa Fe was first on the map): Houston, Grapevine (Texas), Denver, and Las Vegas. Los Angeles is next up.

The Neon Museum

I’ve had The Neon Museum on my must-see list for years, and had the chance to view the collection at night on a recent visit. This special place promotes Las Vegas history, art, and culture through neon signage, and began in 2012 through a shared community love and spirit to keep the city’s historic signs alive for all to enjoy.

An entry ticket grants admission to the Neon Boneyard Main Collection (over 250 unrestored signs to admire!), the North Gallery (home to additional ‘rescued’ signs), and a Visitors’ Center.

Although the Boneyard’s signs are lit with ground lighting, there are 28 restored signs that remain permanently lit.

[Dating to the 1930’s, the Cocktails sign is oldest sign at the Neon Boneyard]

In recent neon news, the Dunes Hotel and Casino sign was illuminated here just last month to honour the visionaries who shaped the resort’s legacy.

This is the Dunes’ only remaining publicly displayed sign, one that helped put Vegas on the map as a global entertainment capital.

The Dunes was both a finale and a beginning. — Roger Thomas, interior designer

[Back when air conditioning was called refrigeration!]

Interior designer Roger Thomas recalls that The Dunes “marked the start of a transformative era in gaming”. Years later, the property was imploded to make way for Bellagio, Roger’s first luxury hotel design. Near Fremont Street, the famous Hacienda horse and rider was renovated by the Neon Museum, part of the organization’s 15 neon treasures collectively known as The Las Vegas Scenic Byway Project.

[Ugly Duckling Car Sales]

[Golden Nugget sign with year 1905, the year that Las Vegas became an official township]

[The Moulin Rouge was designed by Betty Willis, famed for her Welcome to Las Vegas signage]

The Moulin Rouge became the first fully-racially integrated hotel and casino in the U.S., largely the reason for its popularity. Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. were known to perform there together. The Moulin only lasted about six months (one plausible theory connects the casino to The Mob).

DISCOSHOW at The LINQ Hotel

DISCOSHOW is a 70-minute love letter to the dawn of disco, when the music was hot, the energy was wild, and the night belonged to everyone.

This is the underground disco spirit reborn, and you get to watch it and relive it on the dance floor. The DISCOSHOW dancers are shaking their groove thing, dancing right alongside you (when they’re not up on ever-changing platforms around the room). If you watched my Instagram Stories last week, you’ll know what I mean!

This isn’t just another stage show — it’s an all-in experience.

The interactive dance extravaganza packs all the classic disco tunes. Disco attire is encouraged (I spotted a lot of glittery threads, curly-haired wigs, and 70’s shades that greatly elevated the vibe). Get on down to Diner Ross/DISCOSHOW at The Linq—a must for disco lovers.

[Glitterloft Bar outside DISCOSHOW]

Their team put on a high-energy show, and request your presence on the dance floor, so be prepared to BOOGIE!

Non-watermarked DISCOSHOW images provided by Spiegelworld.