Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas

Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas is on the grounds of The Springs Preserve at 309 S. Valley View Blvd. The history of Nevada comes alive at this impressive interactive museum, where video touch screens, audio stations and even holograms help tell the story of the Silver State. The 13,000-square-foot main gallery covers it all, from the Great Basin's geology and prehistoric beasts (including the skeleton of a 250 million-year-old ichthyosaur) to Native Americans, early settlers, miners, railroaders and ranchers.

You'll also find exhibits covering the Hoover Dam and Nevada's atomic bomb testing site. Old-school Vegas aficionados will treasure display cases filled with vintage hotel/casino ephemera, antique slot machines and sparkly showgirl costumes. The Hallway Galleries carry all the Glitz and Glamor of Las Vegas displaying just some of the 8,000-piece Folies Bergère costume archive. Las Vegas: Wedding Capital of the World showcases a traditional western wedding dress, one of many from the collection. A temporary gallery hosts changing exhibits.

Note: The museum is open Thursday through Monday.