Mob Museum: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added
No edit summary
GreenC bot (talk | contribs)
 
(13 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown)
Line 1:
{{short description|History museum in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada}}
{{more citations needed|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox museum
| name = The Mob Museum<br /><small>National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement</small>
Line 19 ⟶ 18:
| collection =
| visitors =
| director president = Jonathan Ullman
| chairperson = Steve Martinez
| curator =
Line 29 ⟶ 28:
'''The Mob Museum''', officially the '''National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement''', is a [[history museum]] located in [[Downtown Las Vegas|Downtown]] [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]], United States.
 
Opened on February 14, 2012, the Mob Museum is dedicated to featuring the artifacts, stories, and history of [[organized crime]] in the [[United States]], as well as the actions and initiatives by law enforcement to prevent such crimes. The museum is housed in the former [[Las Vegas Post Office and Courthouse]], which was built in 1933 and is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. The museum is located on Stewart Avenue, two blocks north of [[Fremont Street]], the main artery of the downtown casino district.<ref>{{citationCite neededweb|title=The Mob Museum |work=TravelNevada |url=https://travelnevada.com/museums/the-mob-museum/ |access-date=AprilSeptember 14, 20222023}}</ref>
 
Developed under the creative direction of [[Dennis Barrie]], co-creator of the [[International Spy Museum]] and the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=Peterson |first=Kristen |title=CHATTING WITH DENNIS BARRIE, CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MOB MUSEUM |date=January 6, 2010 |work=[[Las Vegas Weekly]] |url=https://lasvegasweekly.com/ae/2010/jan/06/chatting-dennis-barrie-mob-museum/ |access-date=September 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Trickey |first=Erick |title=Pop Goes the Museum |date=February 20, 2012 |work=[[Cleveland Magazine]] |url=https://clevelandmagazine.com/entertainment/museums-galleries/articles/pop-goes-the-museum |access-date=September 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Castillo |first=Christiana |title=Mob spies and rock and roll history alum Dennis Barrie has done it all |work=[[Wayne State University]] |url=https://clas.wayne.edu/history/spotlight/mob-spies-and-rock-and-roll-history-alum-dennis-barrie-has-done-it-all-44878 |access-date=September 14, 2023}}</ref> the museum is governed by a non-profit board, the "300 Stewart Avenue Corporation," in partnership with the City of Las Vegas. The museum is dedicated to the contentious relationship between organized crime and [[Law enforcement agency|law enforcement]] within the historical context of Las Vegas and the entire United States.<ref>{{citationCite neededweb|last=Bennett |first=Andrea |title=Mob Museum |work=[[Condé Nast Traveler]] |url=https://www.cntraveler.com/activities/las-vegas/mob-museum |access-date=AprilSeptember 14, 20222023}}</ref>
 
[[File:Las Vegas Mob Museum 2012.jpg|thumb|The front of the museum]]
Line 40 ⟶ 39:
Then-Mayor [[Oscar Goodman]], himself a former Mob defense attorney, had the idea for a mob museum in 2002.<ref name="friess" /> The idea faced early opposition from [[Italian-American]] groups, while being supported by the [[FBI]], including the former head agent in Las Vegas, Ellen Knowlton, who joined as president of the museum's board.<ref name="friess" />
 
The project budget was estimated at $50 million, including $26 million for restoring the building.<ref name="friess" /> Funding included federal, state, and local grants.<ref name="friess" /> Goodman generated controversy by suggesting that federal [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009|stimulus money]] could be used for the museum.<ref name="friess" /><ref>{{cite news|last=AyresFriess |first=ChrisSteve |title=MayorLawyers, ofGuns Las Vegasand OscarMoney: GoodmanWhy plansa museumMob toMuseum thein Las Vegas Would Be Criminally Successful Mob|url=httphttps://wwwlasvegasweekly.timesonline.co.ukcom/tolae/news2009/worldjan/us_and_americas22/article5533170.ecelawyers-guns-and-money/ |access-date=2211 May September2023 2011|newspaper=The[[Las Vegas Weekly]] Times|date=1722 January 2009}}</ref>
 
The museum opened February 14, 2012. (The morning and day before were reserved for press and dignitary ceremonies.) As of January 20202024, prices were $2934.95 for adults ($1619.95 for Nevada residents), with varying prices for other categories such as students and groups.<ref>{{citationCite neededweb|title=Mob Museum Ticketing |work=The Mob Museum |url=https://admission.themobmuseum.org |access-date=AprilSeptember 14, 20222023}}</ref>
 
==Exhibits==
[[File:Mob Museum exhibit showing an early slot machine..JPG|thumb|Mob Museum exhibit showing an early slot machine]]
The centerpiece of the Mob Museum is the second floor courtroom, which was the location of one of fourteen national [[Kefauver Committee]] hearings to expose organized crime held in 1950 and 1951. The museum also acquired the brick wall where the [[Saint Valentine's Day Massacre]] took place.<ref>{{cite news|last=Rackl |first=Lori |title=Vegas mayor bets new museum will be a hit |url=http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/travel/3735909-502/vegas-mayor-bets-new-museum-will-be-a-hit.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110306170950/http://www.suntimes.com:80/lifestyles/travel/3735909-502/vegas-mayor-bets-new-museum-will-be-a-hit.html |archive-date=2011-03-06 |access-date=2211 SeptemberMay 2023 2011|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=2 March 2011}}</ref> Other exhibits focus on Mob violence, casino money skimming operations, and wiretapping by law enforcement.<ref>{{cite news| last=Morrison |first=Jane Ann |title=What will be on Mob Museum's cutting room floor? |url=http://www.lvrj.com/news/what-will-be-on-mob-museum-s-cutting-room-floor_-89319867.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100331152238/http://www.lvrj.com/news/what-will-be-on-mob-museum-s-cutting-room-floor_-89319867.html |archive-date=2010-03-31 |access-date=2211 SeptemberMay 2023 2011|newspaper=[[Las Vegas Review-Journal]] |date=27 March 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2018, a new exhibit called Organized Crime Today was added to the first floor following a major renovation.<ref>{{cite web| title=Where Mobsters Start Fresh with The Mob Museum's Ashley Miller| url=https://trending.virginholidays.co.uk/las-vegas/interview-the-mob-museum-las-vegas| publisher=Virgin Holidays| access-date=2018-11-08}}</ref>
 
The self-guided tour commences on the third floor where the actual wall of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre is on display, accessible by elevator or stairs, and winds its way down to the second and first floors. Visitors can watch a film about the history of Organized Crime (beginning around the time of the passing of [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]]). The main part of the exhibition consists of Mob-related photos with captions explaining the significance of the particular images, but also what individuals/events to which they were connected.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
 
[[File:Las Vegas Mob Museum Wall of Mobsters.JPG|thumb|left|Wall of Mobsters]]
The museum offers a wide array of thematically oriented sections addressing the Mob's involvement in illegal activities such as gambling, drugs, prostitution or bootlegging and the efforts of law enforcement to counteract and eliminate those criminal operations. Additionally the visitor is able to view some uniquely disturbing, otherwise rarely accessible material, for example the photographs of victims of the most famous murders credited to the Mafia (appropriately named "Mob's Greatest Hits"; these are quite graphic in nature, because they show the actual corpses of the deceased), as well as pictures and short biographies of the most popular and notorious gangster personalities. A special Wall located near the exit depicts images of all the actors who portrayed well-known Mobsters in movies or series. A significant number of exhibits are interactive; there are also several stations situated throughout the museum, where relevant film footage is played on a loop.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deesultimatereviews.com/the%20mob%20museum.htm |title=The Mob Museum |website=deesultimatereviews.comDees |publisher=[[Archive.org]]Ultimate Reviews |accessdateaccess-date=22 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122015411/http://www.deesultimatereviews.com/the%20mob%20museum.htm |archive-date=22 November 2019 |url-status=deadusurped}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
 
There is a gift shop on the first floor. Using photos, text, displays, interactive techniques, hands-on exhibits, and other first-class museum methods, the visitor learns about the history of organized crime, Prohibition and the business opportunity it provided. Visitors learn about Las Vegas' first casinos, [[Howard Hughes]], [[J. Edgar Hoover]], the origins of the FBI, [[Al Capone]], [[Eliot Ness]], and much more. A visitor can sit in a replica electric chair, listen to actual wire taps, train in a use of force training simulator and explore an interactive crime lab exhibit related to forensic science.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Mob Museum |url=https://themobmuseum.org/case-files/the-exhibits/|website=The Mob Museum: the Exhibits|publisher=The Mob Museum|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref>
 
In April 2018, the museum opened a fully operational [[speakeasy]] and distillery in their basement exhibit, The Underground.<ref>{{cite webpress release |title=THENow MOBOpen: MUSEUMThe TO DEBUT THE UNDERGROUNDUnderground, AThe PERMANENTMob PROHIBITIONMuseum's HISTORYProhibition EXHIBITIONHistory FEATURINGExhibition WORKINGFeaturing SPEAKEASYa ANDWorking DISTILLERY,Distillery APRILand 2018Speakeasy |url=https://themobmuseumwww.orgprweb.com/press_releasesreleases/mob-museum-debut-underground-permanent-prohibition-history-exhibition-featuring-working-speakeasy-distillery-april-2018now_open_the_underground_the_mob_museum_s_prohibition_history_exhibition_featuring_a_working_distillery_and_speakeasy/prweb15424266.htm |publisherdate=TheApril Mob20, Museum2018 |via=[[PRWeb]] |access-date=411 AprilMay 20192023}}</ref> The space features exhibits related to the cultural history of the Prohibition era as well as the bootleggers, rumrunners, and moonshiners who ensured Americans still had access to liquor during the 13 years of federal Prohibition. The museum distills its own 100 proof, 100% corn moonshine in a custom-built pot still located in the Underground.<ref>{{cite web |title=Distillery |url=https://themobmuseum.org/exhibits/distillery/ |website=The Mob Museum |publisher=The Mob Museum |access-date=4 April 2019}}</ref> In 2019, the Mob Museum began selling its moonshine through [[Lee's Discount Liquor]] stores in the Las Vegas Valley. The museum's moonshine had previously only been available at The Underground.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lilly |first=Caitlin |title=Mob Museum's house-distilled Moonshine to be sold at Las Vegas Valley stores |url=https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/mob-museum-s-house-distilled-moonshine-to-be-sold-at/article_628628e8-ebac-11e9-9ee3-e7cf50fe5ea9.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011052412/https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/mob-museum-s-house-distilled-moonshine-to-be-sold-at/article_628628e8-ebac-11e9-9ee3-e7cf50fe5ea9.amp.html |archive-date=2019-10-11 |url-status=deviated |access-date=411 MarchMay 20202023 |work=[[KVVU-TV|Fox 5 Vegas]] |date=10 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Horwath |first=Bryan |title=Mob Museum making its legal moonshine business a success |url=https://vegasinc.lasvegassun.com/business/2019/nov/18/mob-museum-making-its-legal-moonshine-business-a-s/ |access-date=4 March 2020 |work=VegasInc |date=18 November 2019}}</ref>
 
==Notable mobsters==