Mob Museum in downtown Las Vegas plans $6.5M upgrade
The Mob Museum, officially the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, plans to spend up to $6.5 million over the next year to add new, interactive exhibits and a better dining experience as it seeks to draw in more tourists.
The 5-year-old museum located in downtown Las Vegas will add new exhibits called “Organized Crime Today,” “The Crime Lab” and “Firearms Training Simulator,” featuring wall-sized touchscreens and hands-on learning.
“To continue to be innovative, relevant and increase accessibility, we made the decision to expand,” said Ashley Miller, senior director of marketing and sales. “We have had double-digit growth over the last four years and we want to provide a place in the community that keeps people coming back for more.”
The museum will also expand the retail area and integrate it with a new food and beverage section. There will be 3,500 square feet of new exhibition space added during the renovation.
More than 350,000 people visited The Mob Museum last year compared with just more than 200,000 in 2012, its first year of operation. More than 1.3 million people have visited the museum to date.
The museum, which charges locals $13.95 and out-of-state visitors $23.95, will self-finance the expansion, Miller said. LG Architects, Inc., a Las Vegas-based architecture firm, and Gallagher & Associates were chosen to design the expansion.
The museum anticipates the expansion will increase revenue by 35 percent, Miller said. Work will start in in the summer and finish in the first quarter of 2018. The museum will remain open during the renovation.
Contact Todd Prince at tprince@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0386. Follow @toddprincetv on Twitter.
