Hard Rock to donate Mirage artifacts to Las Vegas' The Neon Museum

Hard Rock International has announced that it will donate several artifacts from The Mirage to The Neon Museum to honor the historic property's legacy, which permanently closed its doors on July 17th.

Hard Rock, which is set to open its own Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas property at the site in 2027, collaborated for the donation with The PENTA Building Group, the contractor tasked with The Mirage's demolition and a long-time builder of many iconic features of the Las Vegas Strip.

"The preservation of the iconic hotel will live on within the Las Vegas non-profit’s collection, including a beloved gold-painted sculpture depicting legendary magicians Siegfried & Roy, The Mirage’s hotel arch sign and more," the company said.

“Hard Rock is very pleased to contribute The Mirage artifacts to the Neon Museum,” said Joe Lupo, President of Mirage Hotel and Casino. “This iconic property that transformed the Las Vegas Strip can be remembered forever and we appreciate them preserving one of our city’s greatest treasures.”

John Cannito, President and CEO of The PENTA Building Group, said: “We are honored to be a part of this project and partner with iconic brands like The Mirage and Hard Rock International. Through our PENTA CARES Foundation, these historic pieces from the world-famous Mirage will be carefully preserved and safely housed at the Neon Museum.”

Hard Rock stated that its joint effort between PENTA, PENTA CARES, and The Neon Museum will allow for the preservation of the property through visual efforts after its recent closure.

The Neon Museum will receive the following artifacts:

• A 17-foot-tall sculpture of Siegfried & Roy with a giant white tiger, which was dedicated on October 27, 1993, by then-owner and hotel founder Steve Wynn.
• The 30-foot-tall Mirage hotel entrance arch sign, which has welcomed guests from Las Vegas Boulevard for the past 34 years.
• The 27-foot-long Mirage neon sign that sat in The Mirage’s Volcano Lagoon. The Volcano entertained visitors four times nightly while the volcano blasted fire, smoke, water, and light.
• Various additional statues and pieces will be donated to The Neon Museum after the completion of The Mirage’s public art auction in September.

Aaron Berger, Executive Director of The Neon Museum, said: “In July of 2023, The Neon Museum first met with Hard Rock leadership to begin the preservation conversation. Over the course of a year, we worked together to identify the most iconic and historically significant pieces.

"Due to the generosity and collaborative spirit of Hard Rock and PENTA & PENTA CARES, these tremendous artifacts representing The Mirage and Siegfried & Roy will be protected and live on in the Museum’s collection. Future generations will be able to learn about ‘the oasis in the desert’ and how it changed hospitality design in Las Vegas and the world."

Elaine Wynn, who co-founded Mirage with husband Steve Wynn, said: “I am thrilled to know pieces of The Mirage will live on in The Neon Museum’s permanent collection. As important as the artifacts are, the stories of those who created the appeal of The Mirage are even more precious. I look forward to the Museum collecting the stories of those who built, designed, and worked at the property. It’s the stories that will give these historical objects life.”

The Mirage opened its doors on November 22, 1989, and housed features such as the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. The hotel was decked out in a Polynesian theme and its Volcano fountain was one of the first sidewalk attractions on the Las Vegas Strip. Besides its gaming offerings, the venue was known for entertainment acts such as Sigfried & Roy taming white tigers or the Cirque du Soleil act set to Beatles songs.

Hard Rock took over operations of The Mirage in December of 2022, and the property closed on July 17 this year to undergo renovations. The updated resort is expected to open in 2027, featuring a massive guitar-shaped hotel