A Trip to Nevada’s Gambling Museum

No trip to Nevada would be complete without a visit to the Gambling Museum which is situated in Virginia City.  This museum is a fitting shrine to the industry that put Nevada on the map and which had Las Vegas crowned the Gambling Mecca of the world for many years before it got overtaken by Macau.

There are many great things about the Nevada Gambling Museum, but I particularly enjoyed the 1870s saloon and poker room which is so authentic that I felt like I was walking onto the set of a Wild West movie.  In fact, I was to learn that the museum has been used as a backdrop for several top movies in the film industry.

While it’s called that Nevada Gambling Museum, this establishment actually examines the history of gambling throughout the whole of the United States, and offers us a fascinating glimpse into how this pastime developed from ancient times until now.  I loved the vintage memorabilia which fills up the place, giving you a real feel of how things were ‘back then’.  There is over half a million dollars worth of gaming memorabilia, ranging from weapons and guns used by famous gamblers throughout history, to over 100 antique slot machines.  Also fascinating is a display of old US money, where you can check out $500 and $1,000 bills!

Another part of the museum which I particularly enjoyed was an exhibit honoring Charles Fey, the founding father of slot machines, and his family.

The museum is situated at 22 South C Street, Virginia City and is open from Monday to Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm (May to October) and from 10 am to 5 pm from November to April.  Give yourself around an hour to see everything at leisure. It costs only $1 to enter the museum, which seems a real bargain to me.  Kids under 11 are free, so it makes a great family outing when you’re next visiting Nevada.  Highly recommended!