Lost City Museum Overton Las Vegas Day Trip

Venture into the past at the Lost City Museum in Overton, Nevada, and discover the bygone era of the Anasazi Indians. This captivating museum is just a short day trip from Las Vegas, depending on traffic, taking a little over an hour to reach. The museum’s interior and exterior are worth exploring, but the standout attraction is the replicated Anasazi Pueblo Grande de Nevada.

Among the exhibits showcased are Indian artifacts unearthed from the Moapa Valley to preserve them from the rising waters of Lake Mead. The museum’s intriguing feature is its location on the grounds of The Lost City, an Anasazi pueblo.

The museum features a reconstructed pueblo closely resembling the original one that stood here centuries ago. Its exhibits, including pottery and artifacts from the Lake Mead region, are outstanding. Additionally, visitors can browse a small gift shop offering Native American jewelry, crafts, books, minerals, and souvenirs.

Southern Nevada History

The Anasazi Pueblo Indians once inhabited the Moapa Valley from 300 B.C. through 700 A.D. Their home, the Lost City, comprised a thirty-mile-long series of adobe pueblos where they grew corn, beans, and squash.

The Anasazi Indians disappeared around 1150 A.D., leaving their homes to waste away in the desert heat and winds. In 1935, the newly formed Lake Mead waters were slowly covering up the ruins of the Indian pueblos, and a team of archeologists set out to save the artifacts. The Lost City Museum was built to preserve the remains of this great civilization that once inhabited the valley.

Many Indian pueblos were relatively modest, featuring only one or two rooms. However, El Pueblo Grande de Nevada, upon which the museum now stands, was the largest and boasted nearly 100 rooms. It is now known as The Lost City.

The Lost City Museum is under the management of the Nevada Division of Museums. Throughout the year, ongoing archaeological studies are conducted on the remaining Lost City sites, and the museum also hosts school tours and special public programs.

Lost City Museum Getting There

The Lost City Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Its address is 721 South Moapa Valley Boulevard in Overton.

The Los City Museum is near the Valley of Fire, so it’s effortless to visit both and make this an all-day trip from Las Vegas. Take Interstate 15 to exit 93. Access is also available from Lake Mead National Recreation Area or the Valley of Fire State Park.

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