History of the American Mafia at the Themed Museum in Las Vegas

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Shootouts, chases, gangsters, and mafiosi are an integral part of American culture. And, as you know, everything that is directly related to culture sooner or later becomes a prerequisite for the emergence of a thematic museum. Perhaps that is why in Las Vegas (Nevada, USA) the opening of a museum with an uncomplicated name The Mob Museumdevoted to organized crime, was perceived as a phenomenon, albeit shocking, but quite natural.

The idea of creating such an unusual museum belongs to Dennis Barrie, who has already taken part in such projects as the International Spy Museum and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Las Vegas Gangster Museum aims to tell the story of the emergence of the American mafia about a century ago. Most of the immigrants who came to America worked hard to earn their living, but there were also those who wanted to achieve instant success and therefore chose the criminal path for themselves. The museum's expositions are dedicated to the complex interaction of organized crime with the legal system.

After the opening of the museum, the legendary Voice of America published a positive review stating that the mafia played an unprecedented role in the development of Las Vegas, since it was thanks to its capital that it turned from a small town lost in the desert to a capital of the world gambling business.

The museum was opened on February 14, the date was not chosen by chance, since this is an important day in the history of the American mafia. On Valentine's Day 83 years ago, St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Seven members of the gangster group Bugs Moran were shot dead in Chicago (Illinois) by the famous crime boss Al Capone. Today, a fragment of the wall has been preserved in the Mob Museum, on which the blood of the murdered mafiosi has been preserved.

The museum is located on the third floor of a building in which from 1950 to 1951. the office for combating crime was located. In addition, there is equipment that was used by law enforcement officers to wiretap telephone conversations. There are even some unusual entertainments in the museum: visitors can sit in a real electric chair or shoot from a real machine gun.

By the way, the theme of mafiosi inspired not only historians, but also culinary experts. Italian masters have created a funny advertisement for pizza, which also "plays up" the criminal life.