The Liberace Museum is located 2 1/2 miles east of the Strip on Tropicana Avenue. Since hiring a professionally trained museum director, curator and visitor services manager in 1998, the museum has been undergoing major transformations in exhibits and programming. But be sure to keep your sunglasses handy when entering this unique museum, for you will never see so many artifacts shine and glitter assmebled in one place.

Opened by Liberace himself on April 15,1979, the museum features the pianos, cars, jewelry, costumes and many other jewel-encrusted artifacts of "Mr. Showmanship,"—not to mention anything else one can smother with rhinestones (and of course a few things that one shouldn’t). The most fabulous costume is the one modeled after the coronation robes of England’s King George V. It has 22-karat gold braiding and is covered in $60,000 worth of rare chinchilla. One can also see the 50.6-pound rhinestone given to Liberace by the Austrian company that provided all his costumes.

Underneath all the flash, the non-profit museum is an establishment that deeply supports the arts. For one, it is a funding arm for The Liberace Foundation established in 1977, which awards scholarships to students studying the arts. As of the new millennium, the museum has awarded almost $4 million to students at 100 of the nation’s universities. Also noteworthy is that while the museum continues to celebrate the affectionate non-conventionalism of Liberace and his music, it also symbolizes the foresight and perhaps even philanthropic mindset of the world-famous entertainer.

For the past several years, the museum has been growing and modifying itself for the better. For instance, now offered are guided tours that discuss entertainment history, popular culture and Las Vegas history. Moreover, a new $1 million renovation is expected to provide a new changing gallery with internationally traveling exhibitions that feature all areas of the arts.

If you get caught up in the mood, the Liberace Museum gift shop will take care of all your rhinestone needs. You can find all sorts of trinkets that will immortalize your trip to this one-of-a-kind place. For more details on the Liberace Museum, check out their website: www.liberace.org .