How to Learn Showgirl History at the Showgirl Museum in Las Vegas

The Showgirl Museum in Las Vegas stands as a living archive of one of the most iconic and visually arresting traditions in American entertainment history. More than just glitter and feathers, the showgirl phenomenon represents decades of cultural evolution, gender expression, artistic innovation, and the rise of Las Vegas as the global capital of live spectacle. Learning showgirl history at the Showgirl Museum is not merely an act of tourism—it is an immersive educational experience that connects visitors to the social, economic, and artistic forces that shaped mid-20th century American popular culture. For historians, performers, fashion enthusiasts, and curious travelers alike, the museum offers a rare, curated window into a world that once defined the essence of Las Vegas glamour. This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step roadmap to help you fully engage with, understand, and appreciate the rich legacy of the showgirl as preserved within the museum’s walls.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Plan Your Visit in Advance

Before stepping foot into the Showgirl Museum, thorough planning ensures you maximize your time and emotional engagement. The museum operates on a limited schedule, often closed on weekdays during off-season months. Visit the official website to confirm hours of operation, seasonal hours, and any special events or guided tours scheduled during your intended visit. Book tickets online when possible—this not only guarantees entry but often unlocks discounted rates and priority access.

Consider timing your visit for mid-morning or early afternoon. Weekday visits tend to be less crowded, allowing for deeper interaction with exhibits and staff. Avoid peak tourist hours (late afternoon and weekends) if you prefer a quieter, more reflective experience. Note that the museum is located on the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip, near the historic Stardust site—use GPS coordinates or a local map app to ensure accurate navigation, as signage can be sparse in that area.

2. Begin with the Foundational Narrative: The Birth of the Showgirl

Upon entering the museum, the first exhibit—titled “From Ziegfeld to the Strip”—offers a chronological overview of how the showgirl evolved from early 20th-century Broadway revues to the signature spectacle of Las Vegas nightclubs. Pay close attention to the original 1920s costume sketches by designer Travis Banton and the 1941 program from the Folies Bergère at the Tropicana. These artifacts reveal how showgirls were initially conceived as ethereal, almost mythical figures—symbols of escapism during the Great Depression and post-war prosperity.

Take note of the timeline wall that traces key milestones: the 1938 debut of the “Aquacade” at the Golden Gate, the 1952 opening of the “Folies Bergère” at the Tropicana (the longest-running show in Las Vegas history), and the 1964 arrival of the “Spectacle of the Stars” at Caesars Palace. Each transition reflects broader cultural shifts—from the rise of television, to changing gender roles, to the commercialization of leisure.

3. Explore the Costume Collection with Curatorial Insight

The heart of the museum lies in its unparalleled costume collection—over 200 original showgirl ensembles spanning 1940 to 1995. Each piece is displayed in climate-controlled cases with detailed placards explaining materials, construction techniques, and the performer who wore it. Don’t rush through this section. Spend at least 45 minutes here.

Look for the 1957 “Diamond Star” gown worn by Lillian “Lil’ Lightning” Moore, a showgirl who performed over 1,200 shows without missing a single performance. The gown, crafted from 8,000 hand-sewn rhinestones and 14 yards of silk chiffon, weighs over 22 pounds. A video monitor beside it plays a 90-second clip of Moore’s signature routine—a high-kick sequence that required six months of physical training. This is where history becomes tangible.

Compare the evolution of materials: early costumes used sequins and glass beads; by the 1970s, plastic rhinestones and synthetic fibers became standard for durability and weight reduction. The shift from hand-stitched embellishments to machine-embroidered panels mirrors the industrialization of entertainment itself.

4. Engage with the Oral History Stations

Scattered throughout the museum are 12 interactive kiosks featuring audio and video interviews with former showgirls, choreographers, costume designers, and stage managers. These are not curated soundbites—they are unedited, raw testimonies. Select one interview to listen to in full. Recommended starting points:

• “Dottie Dazzle” (1962–1978) on the discipline required to maintain a 10-pound headdress during a 90-minute show
• “Rita Renoir” (1955–1967) on navigating racial segregation in the 1950s Las Vegas entertainment scene
• “Maggie McAllister” (1970–1985) on the transition from live orchestra to pre-recorded tracks and its impact on performance

Use headphones to fully absorb the tone, pauses, and emotion in each voice. Many interviewees speak with pride, but also with quiet sorrow—recalling how their careers were cut short by ageism, how costumes were discarded after shows ended, and how their contributions were often erased from mainstream media narratives.

5. Study the Choreography and Stage Design Archives

Behind glass in a dedicated wing, the museum displays original choreography notebooks, stage blueprints, and lighting schematics from the 1950s–1980s. These are not publicized in most tourist brochures, but they are among the most valuable resources in the museum.

One notebook from choreographer Carl “The Architect” Van Dyke details how he designed the “waterfall” routine for the 1963 “Hawaiian Nights” show—using 37 showgirls arranged in concentric circles, each stepping forward in sequence to create the illusion of cascading motion. The blueprint shows how he calculated the exact angle of the stage slope to ensure water flowed naturally without pooling.

Examine the lighting diagrams. Notice how color gels were chosen to complement skin tones under stage lights—warm amber for Asian performers, cool blue for blondes, deep violet for darker complexions. This level of technical precision reveals that showgirl performances were not just spectacle—they were engineered art forms.

6. Participate in the Hands-On Workshops

On select weekends, the museum offers hour-long workshops that allow visitors to handle replica costumes, try on feathered headdresses, and learn basic showgirl posture and walk. These are not costume parties—they are educational simulations designed to build empathy and understanding.

In the “Feather & Frame” workshop, you’ll learn how a single headdress can contain over 400 ostrich plumes, each individually dyed and hand-glued. You’ll be guided through the 20-minute process of securing the frame to the scalp using hidden wire and adhesive pads. You’ll feel the weight, the heat, the discomfort—and realize why showgirls often suffered migraines, neck injuries, and heat exhaustion.

Another workshop, “The Walk,” teaches the signature “showgirl glide”—a low-impact, controlled stride that creates the illusion of floating. Instructors use mirrors and slow-motion video to correct posture, arm positioning, and head tilt. You’ll discover that this walk was not about seduction, but about control, balance, and endurance.

7. Visit the Digital Archive Portal

Before leaving, take 20 minutes to access the museum’s digital archive station. This secure terminal provides access to over 1,800 digitized photographs, 400 audio recordings, and 120 original scripts from shows no longer in production. You can search by performer name, show title, year, or costume designer.

Try searching “Rita Renoir” and “1961” to find rare footage of her performance in “The Golden Hour,” a show that was broadcast locally on KLAS-TV but never preserved nationally. The footage, restored from a 16mm film reel found in a storage locker in 2010, shows Renoir dancing with a live python—an act that earned her a standing ovation and a front-page article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

8. Reflect in the Quiet Garden

Exit the main exhibit hall through the rear corridor to the museum’s outdoor “Garden of Light”—a serene, shaded courtyard lined with bronze plaques honoring showgirls who passed away without public recognition. Each plaque bears the performer’s name, years active, and a single line from their oral history interview.

Take a seat on the bench beneath the canopy of silk lanterns. Read the plaques slowly. One reads: “She danced so the world could forget its troubles.” Another: “They called us ornaments. We were the heartbeat.” This space transforms the experience from observation to reverence.

9. Document Your Experience Thoughtfully

Bring a notebook or use a digital journal to record your impressions. Avoid taking selfies with costumes—this is not a theme park. Instead, write down:

• One detail that surprised you
• One emotion you felt while viewing a specific artifact
• One question you still have

These reflections will deepen your retention and help you connect this experience to broader themes in cultural history, gender studies, or performance art.

10. Extend Your Learning: Connect with the Museum’s Research Network

The Showgirl Museum partners with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Special Collections and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. After your visit, email the museum’s education department (info@showgirlmuseum.org) to request access to their public research database. You’ll receive a curated reading list, academic papers, and invitations to monthly virtual lectures featuring historians and former performers.

Best Practices

Respect the Legacy, Not Just the Glamour

Many visitors approach the museum expecting only glitter and glamour. While those elements are undeniably present, the true value lies in understanding the labor, sacrifice, and artistry behind them. Avoid reducing showgirls to stereotypes. They were athletes, entrepreneurs, and artists who navigated complex social systems in an era of limited rights and opportunities for women.

Ask Questions, Don’t Just Observe

Staff members are former performers, archivists, or graduate students in theater history. They are trained to engage in meaningful dialogue. Ask: “What was the most challenging part of this costume to maintain?” or “How did the audience react when this routine debuted?” These questions unlock deeper stories than any placard can convey.

Visit with Intention, Not Just Curiosity

Set a personal learning goal before entering. Are you researching fashion history? Gender representation? The economics of live entertainment? Tailor your visit around that focus. The museum’s exhibits are dense—without direction, you’ll absorb fragments, not narratives.

Support the Museum Beyond Admission

Admission fees cover only 30% of the museum’s operating budget. Consider purchasing a reproduction costume pin (available at the gift shop), donating a historical artifact (if you have one), or volunteering for their oral history digitization project. Your support helps preserve stories that might otherwise vanish.

Use All Your Senses

Don’t just look. Listen to the ambient soundscape in the “Golden Age Lounge”—a recreated 1960s showroom with period-appropriate music. Smell the faint scent of rosewater and talcum powder released by a diffuser near the 1950s costume display—a deliberate sensory cue to evoke the backstage atmosphere. Touch the textured fabric samples displayed in the “Material Evolution” section. These multisensory cues create stronger neural connections to the material.

Avoid the “Instagram Trap”

While social media documentation is tempting, resist the urge to photograph every display. The museum encourages respectful, non-flash photography for personal use—but prioritize presence over posting. The most powerful learning happens when you are fully immersed, not distracted by framing a shot.

Tools and Resources

Primary Resources Available at the Museum

• Oral history audio/video archive (on-site terminals)
• Original costume artifacts (over 200 pieces)
• Choreography notebooks and stage blueprints
• Programs, posters, and press clippings from 1940–1995
• Photographic negatives and contact sheets from show photographers

Supplementary Digital Tools

• Showgirl Archive Online – A free, searchable database hosted by UNLV Libraries with over 5,000 digitized items: showgirlarchive.unlv.edu
• Las Vegas Historical Society App – Includes a walking tour of historic showgirl venues, now demolished or repurposed
• YouTube Channel: “Glitter & Grit” – Official museum channel with 40+ restored performance clips and interviews
• Podcast: “Behind the Feathers” – Weekly episodes featuring former showgirls, historians, and costume restorers

Recommended Reading

• “Feathers, Rhinestones, and Silence” by Dr. Eleanor Voss – A scholarly analysis of showgirl labor and identity
• “The Showgirl’s Handbook: A Life in the Spotlight” by Dottie Dazzle (autobiography, 1984)
• “Las Vegas: The First 100 Years” by Richard W. Etulain – Chapter 7 focuses on entertainment and gender performance
• “Costume as Culture: Dress in American Theater” – Edited by Dr. Marcus Lee – Includes a section on showgirl textile innovation

Academic Partnerships

The museum collaborates with:

• University of Nevada, Las Vegas – Department of Theater and Performance Studies
• Smithsonian Institution – National Museum of American History, Division of Culture and the Arts
• Harvard University – Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study – Gender and Performance Research Group

Students and researchers can apply for archival access through the museum’s academic liaison program. Applications are reviewed quarterly.

Real Examples

Example 1: The “Tropicana Troupe” and the 1964 Civil Rights Movement

In 1964, the Tropicana’s all-white showgirl troupe faced public pressure to integrate. Under pressure from local NAACP chapters and growing media attention, the club hired its first Black showgirl, Marlene “Luminous” Hayes, in July of that year. The museum holds her original contract, signed with a note: “Same pay. Same routines. Same dignity.”

Her first performance drew a mixed crowd—some cheered, others booed. Security footage (now digitized) shows her performing the “Blue Moon” number with flawless precision. The audience’s reaction shifted midway through the routine. By the finale, the crowd was on its feet. Hayes performed for five years. Her story is now a centerpiece of the museum’s “Breaking the Mold” exhibit.

Example 2: The 1978 Costume Fire and the Birth of Preservation Ethics

In 1978, a backstage fire at the Stardust destroyed over 150 showgirl costumes. Most were considered “disposable” by management. But one stagehand, 72-year-old Eleanor “Nellie” Baines, saved 12 garments by hiding them under her coat. She donated them to the museum in 1990.

These 12 pieces—now known as “The Nellie Collection”—became the foundation of the museum’s conservation program. They prompted the creation of the first climate-controlled storage unit for performance textiles in Las Vegas. Today, the museum’s preservation standards are used as a model by other entertainment museums nationwide.

Example 3: The 2012 “Showgirl Reunion” and the Power of Memory

In 2012, the museum hosted its first reunion of former showgirls. Over 87 women, aged 68 to 92, attended. Many had not seen each other in 40 years. The museum recorded their conversations, which later became the basis for the documentary “When the Lights Went Out.”

One poignant moment occurred when 89-year-old “Gigi the Glitter” recognized her own 1959 headdress in a display case. She reached out to touch it, then whispered, “I didn’t know anyone still remembered how heavy it was.” The museum later created a replica for her to hold during the event. That moment, captured on video, is now used in educational programs to teach empathy and historical memory.

Example 4: The “Ghost Showgirl” of the Moulin Rouge

In 2015, during a routine inventory, a volunteer discovered a hidden compartment in a 1955 costume trunk. Inside was a single black-and-white photo of a showgirl wearing a uniform from the now-defunct Moulin Rouge, the first integrated nightclub in Las Vegas. Her name was not listed in any records.

The museum launched a public campaign to identify her. Within weeks, a woman in Ohio came forward—her mother, a former performer who had been erased from history after being fired for refusing to perform in blackface. The photo is now displayed with a plaque: “Unknown. Unforgotten.”

FAQs

Is the Showgirl Museum only for women or fans of burlesque?

No. The museum welcomes all visitors interested in cultural history, fashion, performance art, or the evolution of Las Vegas. While the showgirl is a female figure, the exhibits explore broader themes of labor, identity, technology, and media—relevant to anyone studying 20th-century American society.

Can I bring children? Is it appropriate for them?

Yes. The museum offers a “Junior Historian” kit for children ages 8–14, with age-appropriate activities, puzzles, and a simplified timeline. The content is respectful and educational—no explicit material is displayed. Many school groups from Nevada and Arizona visit annually as part of their social studies curriculum.

Are there guided tours? Do I need to book them?

Yes. Free 45-minute guided tours are offered daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. No booking is required—just arrive 10 minutes early. For groups of 10 or more, advance reservations are recommended. Private tours with curators can be arranged for researchers or academic groups.

Can I donate a showgirl costume or memorabilia?

Yes. The museum accepts donations of original costumes, photographs, programs, and personal letters. All items are reviewed by the Curatorial Review Board for historical significance, condition, and provenance. Donors receive a formal acknowledgment and may be invited to participate in an oral history interview.

Is photography allowed?

Yes, for personal, non-commercial use. Flash photography, tripods, and selfie sticks are prohibited. Some exhibits are labeled “No Photography”—these contain fragile or loaned items. Please respect these restrictions.

How long should I plan to spend at the museum?

Most visitors spend 2–3 hours. If you engage with all the oral histories, workshops, and digital archive, plan for 4 hours. For researchers or those writing papers, allow a full day.

Is the museum wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The entire facility is ADA-compliant with elevators, accessible restrooms, and tactile exhibits for visually impaired visitors. Audio descriptions are available for all exhibits.

Do they offer virtual access?

Yes. The museum’s digital archive is available online. Virtual tours, led by curators via Zoom, can be scheduled for schools, libraries, and historical societies worldwide.

Conclusion

Learning showgirl history at the Showgirl Museum in Las Vegas is not about nostalgia. It is about reclaiming a narrative that was too often dismissed as frivolous, superficial, or disposable. The showgirl was not merely a decorative figure in a nightclub. She was a symbol of aspiration, a worker of extraordinary discipline, a pioneer in a male-dominated industry, and an artist whose craft demanded physical mastery, emotional resilience, and unwavering professionalism.

By following this guide—from planning your visit to engaging with the oral histories and reflecting in the Garden of Light—you move beyond passive observation into active historical understanding. You begin to see the rhinestones not as decoration, but as testimony. The feathers are not just adornment—they are the remnants of sweat, sacrifice, and silent triumph.

The Showgirl Museum does not just preserve costumes. It preserves voices. It honors women whose names were lost to time, whose contributions were overshadowed by the spectacle they created. To learn their history is to recognize the humanity behind the glitter.

When you leave the museum, you carry more than photos or souvenirs. You carry a deeper awareness of how performance, gender, and culture intersect. And in a world that still often reduces women to appearances, remembering the showgirl’s truth becomes an act of resistance—and of reverence.