You probably know about some of Las Vegas’s splashiest (and most Instagrammed) public art: the monumental, Technicolor work, Seven Magic Mountains just off the I-15 south of town, and the dissected Damien Hirst shark that hangs over the Unknown Bar in the Palms. But Las Vegas is a gold mine of public works—if you know where to look.
The city doesn’t have a freestanding art museum—yet. That will change when the Las Vegas Museum of Art opens in the burgeoning cultural corridor around Symphony Park in 2028. But take an efficient DIY tour, and you’ll see some public gems even some locals don’t know exist.
To create three art itineraries, we tapped the expertise of Michele Quinn, principal of MCQ Fine Art Advisory, who should know, since she curated the $40 million fine art collection for Aria at CityCenter—transforming 67 acres into an open-air gallery of monumental public works—among other projects in Las Vegas. “I’m often asked about the best places to visit when VIP art world colleagues come to town and want to experience some of the authentic culture of Las Vegas,” she says. During events like the Neon Museum-sponsored Duck Duck Shed, Quinn herself takes visitors on an insiders’ tour of the collection. Second best: Getting her favorite itineraries—plus restaurant recommendations—and building your own.
Aria Resort – Fine Art Collection
See: This collection is one of the world’s largest and most ambitious corporate art programs. “Download a map of the collection and it will take you to all 21 pieces, including monumental works by Maya Lin, Jenny Holzer, Henry Moore, Claes Oldenburg, Frank Stella, and more,” Quinn recommends. (Yes, there will be walking.)
Don’t miss: Silver River by Maya Lin, a commissioned work that recreates the Colorado River, created entirely out of cast, reclaimed silver—which hangs over the Aria registration desk. Jenny Holzer’s VEGAS is a 250-foot LED installation (one of her largest), at the North Valet pickup. Nancy Rubins’ Big Edge, an explosion of salvage boats sculpted together, is the centerpiece—right in Harmon Circle.
Dine: You may already know about Carbone’s Spicy Rigatoni Vodka and Caesar Salad alla ZZ, but wander into the theatrical Blue Room designed by Ken Fulk, and you’ll also see works by Richard Serra, Donald Judd and Julian Schnabel acquired by MCQ Fine Art.
Quinn recommends Spago at Bellagio for the best view of the Bellagio Fountains—as well as works by Sol Lewitt and a monumental wall hanging by Jacob Hashimoto.
Just across the street from Bellagio, you can see newly acquired pieces through MCQ Fine Art by Vik Muniz, Jeff Koons and Vera Lutter at Alexxa’s at Paris Las Vegas.
Fontainebleau Las Vegas
See: “Fontainebleau’s vast spaces are the perfect place for monumental works,” Quinn says. She recommends looking for the five-paneled Richard Prince painting satirizing American culture and the Urs Fischer works in the Las Vegas South Lobby: a 46-foot-high sculpture, Lovers #3, in aluminum, stainless steel and gold leaf and two monumental paintings, The Touch and The Eye. You can download their fine art collection guide and see how many works you can spot.
Dine: “Don’s Prime Steakhouse is aesthetically elegant and recalls old Las Vegas in brand-new ways,” Quinn says. She recommends a martini and some people watching here. If you’re going for spectacle, order the roasted seafood platter, piled high with steaming Maine lobster, jumbo shrimp, oysters, king crab, and clams.
Don’t Miss: “Definitely see a show in BleauLive Theater. I saw Jane’s Addiction when they were here,” Quinn says.
Wynn Las Vegas
See: “Head to the Wynn Plaza Shops to see some of the most famous collected works in Wynn’s collection,” Quinn recommends, like the monumental mirror polished stainless steel Jeff Koons Tulips and Arrows and Flower Neon Sign, a multi-media kinetic sculpture by Takashi Murakami and Virgil Abloh which was inspired by the neon signs of Las Vegas.
Dine: “Dining at Cipriani here always reminds me of great travel experiences I’ve had to some of the world’s artistic centers,” Quinn says. Must-orders include the classic Carpaccio all Cipriani, baked tagliolini, and Cipriani’s famous sky-high vanilla meringue cake served with ice cream.
Downtown Las Vegas / Off-Strip
See: Right across from The Smith Center sits Tim Bavington’s Pipe Dream, a huge visual rendition of Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man.” Each pipe in the sculpture represents a single note and the unpainted pole at the end is a musical rest. It sits at the east end of Symphony Park and frames the outdoor stage. “It’s a piece that is both cerebral and exuberant” Quinn says.
Don’t Miss: The Smith Center is the home of touring Broadway plays and other shows, “and it’s worth the price of a ticket just to see the Art Deco interior,” Quinn says. Another must-do: A visit to the Neon Museum. “Get a guided night tour of the signs in the Neon Boneyard and you can imagine what they would have looked like as many as 85 years ago,” she says. (The oldest operational sign here is the Chief Hotel Court sign from 1940.)
Dine: Both Chef James Trees’ expanded Esther’s Kitchen and his new Bar Boheme are favorites. The latter, a renovated mid-century mechanic shop, is now all Belle Epoque salon vibes and modern French dishes (tarte flambée, Moules à la Grecque, steak frites). Both are major Arts District draws.