Mid-Century Modern Las Vegas Architecture – Exhibit Opening

(Riviera Hotel Lobby, 1957)

The Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas is hosting an opening reception for its newest exhibit, “Mid-Century Modern Las Vegas,” on Saturday, April 24 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The exhibit will feature photos of Mid-Century Modern architecture, as well as domestic and decorative art from the era.

Throughout the 1950s and ‘60s when Las Vegas was polishing its image as a premier resort destination, architects from throughout the country were drawn to the city by its free-wheeling, forward-looking modernism. These architects, such as Paul Revere Williams, Palmer and Krisel,

(Paradise Palms, Las Vegas, by Palmer and Krisel)

 Zick and Sharp, Wayne McAllister and Welton Beckett, designed some of Las Vegas’ most notable structures: St. Anne Catholic Church; the parabolic lobby of the La Concha Motel; the sleekly angular Sands Hotel; the futuristic terminal at McCarran International Airport; homes in Mason Manor; and the flying saucer-shaped Las Vegas Convention Center. Dozens of schools, banks, shopping centers, and medical and government buildings throughout Las Vegas were built in a variety of Mid-Century Modern styles.

(La Concha Hotel Lobby under construction, 1961)

Most of the photos featured in this exhibit are from the collection of noted photographer Jay Florian Mitchell. After a successful career in New York, Mitchell came to Las Vegas in the late 1940s and spent more than two decades documenting life in Las Vegas. With most of Las Vegas’ Mid-Century Modern architecture now lost to development, Mitchell’s collection provides an invaluable visual record of the city’s past.

The Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas is located at 700 Twin Lakes Drive in Lorenzi Park. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and free to museum members and ages 17 and under.

The Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas is one of seven museums managed by the Division of Museums and History, an agency of the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs. The Department serves Nevada’s citizens and visitors through cultural and information management, presentation and promotion of cultural resources, and education. The Department also includes the State Historic Preservation Office, Nevada State Library and Archives, and the Nevada Arts Council. For more information, call Teresa Moiola at (775) 687-8323 or visit the department’s web site at www.NevadaCulture.org.

Reposted from the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs

April 14, 2010
Contact: Stacy Irvin: 702-486-5205 ext. 227
David Millman: 702-486-5205 ext. 231