The good news: we’re going to tell you about a secret cultural hangout that most visitors to Las Vegas don’t know about.
The bad news: the place is closed till the end of the Spring. Still, it’s worth whetting your appetite and making a note on your travel plans, as the Marjorie Barrick Museum boasts one of the premier collections of MesoAmerican craftwork in the country. Its mission, say the founders, is “promoting a better understanding of life past and present in the American Southwest [and] Mesoamerica.”
We know: you didn’t come to Vegas to gaze upon Mexican religious folk art, examine Native American pottery or even gawk at Guatemalan costumes and dance masks that make our Crazy Girls’ headdresses look tame. But the Barrick Museum hosts impressive art, poisonous reptiles who nibble on rodents right in front of you, a gorgeous desert garden, and more importantly, an escape from the heat and the buzz that sometimes waylay a visit to Vegas.
In other words, the museum, which is located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is a haven. Agave, beavertail, yucca, cholla bunny ears, and myriad cacti never looked so good.
And it’s cheap. Make that free. So, there’s that.
Once renovations are over, hours should be as follows:
Tue, Wed, Fri 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Thur 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Park in a visitor’s slot or at a meter just outside the main entrance of campus.
Go forth and see some culture. Then come back renewed for more fun. We’ve got plenty to go around.
To Reach the Marjorie Barrick Museum from the Riviera Hotel:
Marjorie Barrick Museum
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
4505 S. Maryland Pkwy
Las Vegas, NV 89154
(702) 895-3381
http://barrickmuseum.unlv.edu/
