The Lost City Museum is about a 45-minute drive outside of Las Vegas, a great day trip for the adventurous or just curious. This is a gem for history and archaeology buffs and ideal for kids of all ages. Turn it into a teachable moment with this handy study guide from the Lost City Museum! LCM-ES-student-packet
If you are looking for day trips around the area, check out Calico Ghost Town or area hiking spots in cooler spots within 30 minutes to an hour of the city.
Get the mots out of your trip, keep track of all you want to do and create a keepsake of all you do in this packed planner. On sale through the end of the month!
Why Families Love the Lost City Museum
The Lost City Museum location is steepend in history. The museum is built on the site of an ancient Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) village, providing a direct connection to the area’s rich prehistoric past.
The museum houses an extensive collection of artifacts from the Ancestral Puebloans, including pottery, tools, and other cultural items that offer insights into their daily life and craftsmanship.
A favorite for kids and adults is the reconstructed Puebloan structures, which provide a tangible sense of what life was like for the original inhabitants. These reconstructions are based on actual archaeological findings from the area and you can go inside to explore.
It’s a favorite spot for homeschool groups, too. The museum offers various educational programs and workshops, enhancing the visitor experience with deeper knowledge about the ancient cultures that once thrived in the region. It features interactive displays and hands-on exhibits that engage visitors of all ages, making it a family-friendly destination.
The Lost City Museum offers a unique and immersive experience into Nevada’s ancient history and the cultural heritage of its early inhabitants, making it a must-visit for history enthusiasts and curious travelers alike.
How the Lost City was Found
Built in 1935 by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps, it was originally known as the Boulder Dam Park Museum. It was intended to exhibit artifacts recovered from local prehistoric archaeological sites that were in danger of being lost forever once the Colorado River was dammed to create Lake Mead. Two brothers from Overton, Fay and John Perkins,
went to the Governor of Nevada, James Scrugham, in 1924 to rally support to preserve of the local historical sites.
Scrugham reached out to M.R. Harrington a noted archaeologist with the Museum of the American Indian. Harrington recognized the significance of the sites and named them the Pueblo Grande de Nevada. The historical finds were highly publicized across the country and the press labeled the area, which was set to be covered in water after the completion of the dam, the “Lost City.” The Harrington Excavations got underway in 1924 and were completed by 1938 as the dam was being built.
State Museum Expansion
In the 1950s, the Boulder Dam Park museum was released to the state of Nevada from the National Park Service and the name was changed to the Lost City Museum. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of seven museums in the state. It has three exhibition galleries filled with local fossils and artifacts as well as a screening room, research library and a store stocked with souvenirs of your trip.
But don’t spend all your time indoors! Get outside and explore the outdoor exhibits that includes a Native American pit house and pueblos that have been reconstructed.