Go underground in Las Vegas for an interactive history lesson and a taste of real moonshine
Stepping back into the Prohibition years of the Roaring ’20s is now as easy as whispering the password at a new speakeasy in Las Vegas.
The hidden bar, complete with its own still, isn’t a new watering hole along the Strip, but instead an educational and fun attraction at the Mob Museum. And, yes, adult guests can sip on homemade moonshine made with corn mash.
The clever new exhibit is in the basement of the downtown museum, which occupies what was once Vegas’ courthouse and post office.
Called the Underground, the subterranean spot explains how mobsters grew to prominence during Prohibition, making huge profits bootlegging illegal booze.
Artifacts on display include an Abercrombie & Fitch satchel fitted with a hidden compartment that held three flasks, a small still used to make alcohol when it was illegal, and a 1920s chiffon dress.
Admission to the downstairs exhibition is free with museum tickets, which start at $26.95. People who want to visit only the Underground can do so for free after 5 p.m. by using a suitably discreet side entry.
Complimentary admission from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. requires a password, which visitors can find by following mobmuseum_underground on Instagram or underground_tmm on Snapchat.
Once inside, people will see the custom-made, 60-gallon copper-pot still that can produce 250 jars of corn mash moonshine a week. The 750 milliliter jars, on which the production dates are handwritten, sell for $19.95.
The clear liquor is also used in cocktails served at the speakeasy, the Prohibition-era name for the illegal bars that become social hubs. Drinks on the menu include the Bee’s Knees, Giggle Water and Ginger Jake.
Beer crafted in an onsite microbrewery is also available.
The museum and the Underground are open 9 a.m.to 10 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdays and until midnight Thursdays through Saturdays.
More information about Prohibition is available in one of the museum’s online exhibits.
Info: The Mob Museum, 300 Stewart Ave., Las Vegas
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