LAS VEGAS – The Neon Museum will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of its current campus on Las Vegas Boulevard in historic downtown Las Vegas with a special evening celebration on Friday, Oct. 28, at Jungle Palace, the private estate of former Las Vegas illusionists Siegfried & Roy.
The once-in-a-lifetime outdoor formal affair includes guided tours inside the remarkable home led by S & R company and crew who knew the pair well. The evening will include a special appearance by their stage partner and close friend, Lynette Chappell, known as “The Evil Queen.” Her intimate stories will highlight the on and off-stage lives of Siegfried & Roy, and other friends and colleagues of the illusionists will share their personal anecdotes too.
At the event, The Neon Museum will award the institution’s founding president, Barbara Molasky, with its Glow Award to recognize her steadfast dedication and extraordinary contributions to establish The Neon Museum. Her efforts trace back to 1996, ultimately leading to the opening of the current museum campus in 2012 that has welcomed more than a million visitors over the last decade.
Noting that preserving the iconic signs of Fremont Street, such as the historic Hacienda Horse & Rider, became a personal mission for Barbara, Aaron Berger, executive director of The Neon Museum said, “From coalescing the museum’s first donors to working with YESCO to develop The Neon Museum’s initial collection, Barbara’s unwavering commitment to creating a museum that would preserve and pay tribute to Las Vegas’ history through its most iconic art form – the neon sign – has helped create an award-winning, nationally accredited museum that continues to grow and evolve. It is a great honor to recognize Barbara with this award and thank her for her extraordinary contributions to the success of The Neon Museum.”
“Las Vegas boasts amazing works of neon art, and these pieces deserve to be reclaimed and preserved because they tell the city’s rich and intriguing history,” said Barbara Molasky. “I am very proud of what we achieved in the early years to establish The Neon Museum and help build it into the world-class institution that it is today.”
A limited number of tickets for The Neon Museum’s 10th anniversary celebration on Oct. 28 at Jungle Palace are now available for purchase online at www.neonmuseum.org.
Editor’s Note: Aaron Berger, Barbara Molasky, and Lynnette Chappell are available for interviews about the event and 10-year anniversary. Please contact amy@twgpr.com to schedule.
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. Fully accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), The Neon Museum has been ranked No. 1 in Las Vegas Weekly’s list of “Twenty Greatest Attractions in Las Vegas History,” Nevada’s “Best Museum” by MSN, No. 1 Pop Culture museum and one of the 10 Best Museums in Las Vegas 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 has an outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard; the North Gallery, home to the immersive audiovisual experience “Brilliant! Jackpot” which uses technology to re-illuminate more than 40 non-operational signs; and its visitors’ center inside the former La Concha Motel lobby. The museum collection also includes nine restored signs installed as public art in downtown Las Vegas. Public education, outreach, research, and arts conservation represent a selection of the museum’s ongoing projects. For more information, including tour schedules and tickets, visit www.neonmuseum.org. Also follow @NeonMuseum on Facebook and Twitter and @theneonmuseumlasvegas on Instagram.
