Downtown Las Vegas is Getting a Punk Rock Museum

By Scott Roeben, on October 13 2022
2 min read 2 comments
Downtown Las Vegas Las Vegas Things to Do in Las Vegas

A new Punk Rock Museum is coming to downtown Las Vegas. The attraction opens Jan. 13, 2023.

The Punk Rock Museum’s Web site describes the venue thusly: “It’s been 45-plus years since punk rock pogo’d its way into music, fashion, film and popular culture. January 13th 2023, The Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas opens its doors and proudly shoves in your face the history, culture, and absurdity of rock n’ roll’s bastard stepchild. This museum invites lifelong fans and curious looky-loos of all ages to experience a hands-on, uniquely punk rock experience.”

The museum is the brain child of NOFX frontman Mike “Fat Mike” Burkett.

The venue will be 12,000-square-feet, and will be located at 1422 Western Ave. (next to the Little Darlings strip club), a sketchy part of Vegas, but that’s sort of in keeping with the punk attitude as we understand it.

Now would be an opportune time to lock your daughter in the basement, despite the fact Las Vegas doesn’t really have basements.

According to Spin, “The museum’s collection includes a wide range of notable artifacts including Debbie Harry’s iconic Vultures shirt and Devo’s energy dome helmets, the acoustic guitar that Rise Against used to write some of their first songs and the bright green chainsaw Sum 41 used to kick off their shows during their crazy ‘Does This Look Infected?’ era. The museum will also feature interactive exhibits, including one where you can play your favorite punk musician’s guitar.”

Honestly, we weren’t all that interested in this museum until we realized Devo was considered a punk band, so there’s that.

There will also be guitars and amps from Rise Against, NOFX, Pennywise, Sick of it All, Strung Out and others.

Investors in the museum include Pat Smear (The Germs, Nirvana, Foo Fighters), Brett Gurewitz (Bad Religion), Kevin Lyman (Vans Warped Tour founder) and Tony Hawk (boardball expert).

A variety of ticket packages are available on the official Web site. Hysterically, the packages include beers, some warm, some “cold-ish,” some “very cold.”

Packages start at $100 (two tickets, two commemorative VIP laminates, one “un-limited edition ill-fitting Punk Museum T-shirt,” two warm beers) and run up to $25,000.

The $25,000 package, called the “In the Shitter” package, lucky punk fans can get a plaque with their name (or band’s name) installed above a urinal or on a bathroom stall in the museum, for starters.

We love that the whole thing feels rather irreverent (what else would it be?), and even if you don’t recognize the names of most of the bands, you’re in good company, but it seems like there’s fun in store.

Daily tours will be hosted by Casey Royer (DI), Roger Miret (Agnostic Front), Eric Melvin (NOFX), Louich Mayorga (Suicidal Tendencies), Stacey Dee (Bad Cop/Bad Cop), Angelo Moore (Fishbone) and others, according to the Punk Rock Museum Web site.

The museum will also have a tattoo shop and wedding chapel. In combination with the bar, what could possibly go wrong?

The hours of operation of the Punk Rock Museum have yet to be announced.

Update (10/14/22): The bar at the Punk Rock Museum will be Triple Down Saloon, from the folks behind Double Down Saloon, a popular dive bar in Las Vegas.