Las Vegas Will Soon Host World’s First Punk Rock Museum

Posted on: October 12, 2022, 02:03h. 

Last updated on: October 13, 2022, 05:52h.

Corey Levitan Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Myths.

The grand opening in Las Vegas of the world’s first Punk Rock Museum is set for Jan. 13, 2023. Conceived by Mike “Fat Mike” Burkett, singer/bassist for LA punk band NOFX, the exhibit hall will be dedicated exclusively to the crowd-surfing, loogie-hocking, blade-wearing rock music subgenre.

Mike Burkett of NOFX
Singer/bassist Mike Burkett performs with his band NOFX. The LA punk band sold more than 8 million albums despite never being signed to a major label, making it among the most successful independent bands of all time. Burkett is behind the Punk Rock Museum, opening January 13 in Las Vegas. (Image: femalefirst.co.uk)

As the Punk Rock Museum’s website states, it will “proudly shove in your face the history, culture, and absurdity of rock n’ roll’s bastard stepchild.”

Experiential packages from $100 to $25,000 are currently being pre-sold at thepunkrockmuseum.com.

The $25,000 package, called “In the Sh*tter,” gets you lifetime tickets and laminates, a plaque with your name installed in the museum above a urinal or on a bathroom stall door, and a drink named after you at the bar. The $100 package, known as “The Crustie,” gets you two tickets, two VIP laminates, an ill-fitting T-shirt, and two warm beers at the bar.

No option is listed for plain old general admission.

Tickled Punk

Burkett said he originally wanted to open a punk rock store that would also display his collected artifacts over the years. That idea flipped around when he began cataloging the artifacts and realized how many there were and how few he was actually willing to sell.

The Punk Rock Museum will boast thousands of relics in its 12,000 square feet of display space. These include Blondie vocalist Debbie Harry’s iconic Vultures shirt, Devo’s energy dome helmets, and the bright green chainsaw once used by Sum 41 to kick off their shows.

The museum will also feature interactive exhibits where you can play your favorite punk musician’s guitar.

A Little Help from His Friends

The Punk Rock Museum was financed by Burkett allies Pat Smear (Germs, Nirvana, Foo Fighters), Brett Gurewitz (Bad Religion), Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman, and skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. It’s curated by a collective of 10 punk-rock musicians and industry professionals, including former Less Than Jake drummer Vinnie Fiorello, who described the museum to Spin magazine as “a love letter to punk rock.”

Fellow collective member and Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge added to Spin: “When people get into punk rock, they really sink their teeth into it and don’t let go. We wanted to create a place for these people and for people who don’t know much about it.”