House party, pig den, private salon, speakeasy: all these were names given to illegal alcohol selling joints in the United States during the alcohol prohibition era.
Why would anyone call a bar speakeasy? The story is you have to speak in a low voice while in the bar or when speaking the password to enter the outlawed salons lest the police hear you.
Location, Opening Hours, and Tickets
- Address: 300 Stewart Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89101
- Opening Hours for the museum: 9.00 am-9.00 pm, Everyday
- Opening Hours for the underground Speakeasy: Monday to Wednesday: Noon-12.00 pm, Thursday to Sunday: Noon-midnight
- Tickets: General-$29.95, $16.95 for Nevada residents (all exhibits and all-day admission) | Deluxe-$44.95, $29.95 for Nevada residents (all exhibits, all-day admission, and one interactive experience) | Premier-$48.95, $35.95 for Nevada residents (all exhibits, all-day admission, and two interactive experiences)
The museum opens gates to patrons observing all measures necessary. Carry a mask to avoid being barred from entry.
Also, be ready to sanitize at the entrance before you can enjoy any service at the venue. Nevada residents get discounted rates on tickets with valid proof of residency. The underground speakeasy is for 21+ only. Some activities at the museum may require minors to be patronized by adults.
Transport and Parking
Getting to the Mob Museum is easy for travelers. You can access the facility using the Downtown Loop. The advantage of the loop is it doesn’t charge you at all, so take advantage of the free Vegas transport! It passes through all major stops, including the Mob Museum, from Bonneville Transit Center to Las Vegas North Premium Outlets.
Alternatively, you can board the RTC Deuce that plays all major casinos and hotels on the strip to downtown. There is a stop at the museum, so you will have no trouble after boarding this municipality bus. They are well ventilated and available; expect a bus every 15-20 minutes.
Limited parking at the museum is available, although there are other parking options. A small distance away is parking spots in casinos like the Downtown Grand. El Cortez and the Main Street Station Casino. Parking at the Mob Museum is charged $8 for the first four hours, after which an hourly charge applies.
How Did Speakeasies Come To Be?
Speakeasies were famous in 1920 when the prohibition by the federal government was in place. The act led to the closure of salons selling liquor to men, which quickly saw the illicit brew business flourish. The federal government collaborated with the state government to enforce the ban. That forced alcohol lovers to explore other options to lessen their addiction.
Bootleggers and rum runners were born, with most owning home distilleries for their whiskies, beer, and gin. The business was so lucrative that some bootleggers became wealthy.
They controlled significant parts of the liquor and mob business in their respective regions. The expansion of the alcohol business saw folks like George “Bugs” Moran rise to be gangster rollers in Chicago from mere bootleggers.
In Vegas, where mobs were rampant, it became necessary and lucrative for them to own such establishments. They were making loads of cash, with reports showing that the gangster kingpin Alcapone won a business lottery with over 60 million dollars. He had thousands of home distilleries and speakeasies under his thumb, so yeah, more money for the mob.
The Mob Museum seeks to educate the modern American of the past criminal life of the states, to its transformation to what you know it as currently.
You are taken into the depths of what it was to live in a mob era and their involvement in the illegal liquor trade operating speakeasies. You will appreciate the history and better understand the molding of modern-day America.
Also Read: Old Las Vegas: Places Where Vegas’ History Still Lives
The Entrance to the Underground Speakeasy
The location and entrance to any 20s speakeasy were kept secret-it was illegal. Patrons would whisper the whereabouts of the brew centers to their counterparts in great caution and secrecy to avoid the authorities.
As a result, they developed secret doors and passageways known only to a few customers. Entry is granted upon speaking a password, which was changed frequently to avoid leaking to the authorities.
The speakeasy at the Mob Museum has a similar fashion for entry. You are required to speak a password at the door to the speakeasy-if at all you can find the door first.
But don’t you worry, here is your menu to dissect the entrance mystery. There are two entry points to the underground speakeasy at the Mob Museum.
Entry from the Inside: You can gain access from the inside of the museum. Just head down the stairway to the ticket kiosk, where there is a speakeasy sign. If you had paid entrance fees to the museum, you are good for the speakeasy entry.
If not, you can pay for the speakeasy entrance fee at the kiosk and head on down the hallway. Enjoy the memorabilia of the 20s prohibition liquor trade on the wall. You will find the entrance to the speakeasy on your left.
Entry from the outside: If you wish the wholesome feeling of the speakeasy experience of the 20s, the outside entrance will be something to remember. Tucked away in a corner is a stairway to the green speakeasy door. You can find a barrel near the stairs as a bar landmark. Knock and provide a password when prompted so you can enter.
Where Is the Password to the Speakeasy?
The speakeasy has a new password every week. The password is on their social media handles, especially their Instagram stories, so take a look and note it somewhere beforehand. You can also find the weekly password on their website.
What if you don’t get the password? Well, you will not be turned away, although you may have a little tug war at the entrance before you can gain access to sample the speakeasy menu. But why go to a secret experience when not prepared to load the passcode?
Brief Overview of the Museum
The Mob Museum is in a storied historic building in Vegas. It was constructed in 1931 and commissioned two years later in 1933.
It served as a US Post Office and a Courthouseback then, although most folk would refer to it as the post office building. The FBI had started to lurk in the building, and they made it their Vegas base here to chase the mafia in Vegas.
The famous Kefauver Hearings led by Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver interrogated sermons and witnesses for the mob crimes in the US. The hearings uncovered much of the organized crime in Vegas and their interstate connection. The courthouse is repurposed to its former look during the hearings.
The underground shows the rich history of American alcohol. The prohibition made it possible for mobsters and other rumrunners to join the trade. The distillery has different artifacts of the brewing of moonshine and cocktails to match.
Interactive Experiences
- Crime Lab: Mediated experience on crime forensic, DNA profiling, fingerprint collection, and medical examinations for crime investigation purposes.
- Distillery: Enjoy sampling some of the liquor of the 1920 prohibition era. Learn what was going on during that time and a little history of famous bootleggers.
- Firearm training Simulator: Guided training and role-playing on law enforcement.
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Conclusion
Learn more on organized crime in America and the effects of the mob on today’s America. What ways are the officers using to keep you safe from a crime like this?
Explore an interactive session at the Underground Speakeasy, where guides and experiences make you appreciate the history of liquor production in the distillery.
Learn a bit of the history of the mob involvement in illicit brews, and get to taste the damn thing at the speakeasy bar!