When the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas opened its doorways in 2023, onlookers fell into one in every of two decidedly completely different camps. Many had been excited to have a good time the style’s distinctive and interesting historical past, whereas others argued that placing punk in a museum would go in opposition to the music’s anti-establishment methods.
After visiting ourselves, we will report that the Punk Rock Museum obtained it proper. This is just not a stuffy assortment of artifacts, however reasonably an thrilling take a look at the style’s distinctive place in historical past. So many artists are represented, overlaying the assorted generations of punk acts. The museum additionally put a transparent emphasis on the better punk group – with varied nations, races, sexual orientations and gender identities all represented among the many sprawling two-story venue.
Some of the rooms have completely different vibes. There’s a sitting space made to appear to be a traditional early ‘80s living room, its wall decorated with “family albums” – aka personal pictures given to the museum from various musicians. Elsewhere, a corridor is enshrouded with concert fliers and zines, a reflection of punk’s persevering with DIY ethos. Still, in lots of different areas, the gadgets on show do the speaking, with one-of-a-kind artifacts and memorabilia collected from a lot of punk’s most well-known acts.
Corey Irwin, UCR
Some heavy-hitters had been behind the Punk Rock Museum’s creation, together with MXPX chief Fat Mike, Warped Tour creator Kevin Lyman and skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. Important members of the punk rock group had been concerned with each side of the museum’s creation, making certain it will be an correct reflection of the group, reasonably than some Disney-fied retelling of punk historical past.
The result’s an unfiltered and sincere glimpse inside one in every of rock’s most essential sub-genres, and a museum not like every other we’ve been to. Here are the 10 coolest issues we noticed throughout our go to.
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