THE MOB MUSEUM, THE UNDERGROUND SPEAKEASY AND DISTILLERY UNVEIL SEPTEMBER PROGRAMS, PROMOTIONS AND SPECIALS SPOTLIGHTING IRISH MOB, HARRY REID, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, NATIONAL BOURBON MONTH, MORE
LAS VEGAS (August 2026) – The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, announces its September events, including compelling guest speakers addressing topics such as New York’s Irish Mob, Senator Harry Reid’s fight against the Mob and human trafficking. A new back-to-school-inspired promotion gives traffic safety and law enforcement professionals a special discount. Meanwhile, The Underground speakeasy and distillery will showcase a dynamic live entertainment calendar as well as beverage offerings commemorating National Bourbon Heritage Month.
Details on all programming and specials follow:
The Westies: The Brutal Saga of New York’s Irish Mob
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Time: 7 to 8:30 p.m. followed by a book signing
Location: Inside the historic courtroom on the second floor.
Cost: Free for Museum Members or with Museum admission. For more information or to RSVP, click here.
Description: Respected organized crime historian T.J. English returns to the subject of his first book: the bloody saga of the Westies, an Irish American gang that became one of New York’s most notorious underworld outfits of the 20th century. Under the leadership of Jimmy Coonan and Mickey Featherstone, this ragtag group of hoodlums launched a reign of terror in the blue-collar Manhattan neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen and carried out contract hits for the Mafia. English will chronicle the rise and fall of the Westies, which are the inspiration for MGM+’s new television drama series “The Westies”.
Speaker: T.J. English is the author of 10 best-selling true-crime books, including “The Westies: Inside New York’s Irish Mob,” “Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost It to the Revolution” and “The Last Kilo: Willy Falcon and the Cocaine Empire That Seduced America.” English has written for Vanity Fair, Esquire, Playboy and New York magazines, among others.
Harry Reid vs. The Mob: The Fight That Made a Senator
Date: Saturday, Sept. 19
Time: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. followed by a book signing.
Location: Inside the historic courtroom on the second floor.
Cost: Free for Museum Members or with Museum admission. For more information or to RSVP, click here.
Description: Before he became one of the nation’s most powerful politicians, Harry Reid served four years as chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission, a tumultuous period when the Mob remained a force in the casino industry. Reid had a famous run-in with Chicago Outfit associate Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, and his career was almost ruined by wiretap recordings claiming he was in the Mob’s pocket. Veteran Las Vegas political journalist Jon Ralston, author of a critically acclaimed Reid biography, will focus on the late U.S. senator’s early years, and how those experiences helped shape his political philosophy and success.
Speaker: Jon Ralston is the founder and CEO of The Nevada Independent. He has been covering politics in Nevada for more than 35 years and has been a columnist at the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Sun and most recently at the Reno Gazette-Journal, which he left in November 2016 to start The Indy. He has hosted several TV programs over the years, including “Ralston Live” on Vegas PBS and “Ralston Reports” on KSNV News 3. In 2012, Politico named Ralston one of the “Top 50 Politicos to Watch.” He frequently appears on MSNBC, and he has also appeared on NBC’s long-running “Meet the Press.”
It Could Happen to You: A Human Trafficking Survivor Tells Her Story
Date: Thursday, Sept. 24
Time: 7 to 8 p.m.
Location: Inside the historic courtroom on the second floor.
Cost: Free for Museum Members or with Museum admission. For more information or to RSVP, click here.
Description: At age 19, Natasha Herzig was kidnapped at gunpoint and coerced into sex work. She was beaten by pimps and forced to recruit other young women. Herzig survived the ordeal and has become a nationally regarded advocate against human trafficking. She will share her deeply personal story and provide insights into how human and sex traffickers use psychological and physical methods of control. Her story sheds vital light on the harrowing realities of human trafficking and provides practical advice on how to fight this vicious cycle of violence.
Speaker: Natasha Herzig is a nationally recognized sex trafficking survivor, advocate and subject matter expert whose work has helped shape legislation, train law enforcement and prosecutors and support the rescue and recovery of trafficking victims. A recipient of the “Special Courage Award,” she has testified before the U.S. Senate and now serves as deputy director of Arukah Project, where she leads efforts to combat exploitation and is the author of “Truth 2 Freedom,” a safety and prevention curriculum used by parents, schools, businesses and first responders.
“Filmed in Las Vegas: America’s Playground on the Silver Screen”
Date: Open daily
Time: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Location: Inside the Oscar B. Goodman Room on the third floor.
Cost: Included with Museum admission. To purchase tickets, click here.
Description: The Mob Museum’s latest temporary exhibit, “Filmed in Las Vegas: America’s Playground on the Silver Screen,” features movie posters from 11 films shot in Las Vegas during the city’s “Golden Age.” These films, ranging from 1941 to 1969, include “Ocean’s 11” and “Viva Las Vegas.” Lobby cards and a montage video also show the evolution of Las Vegas films and the city itself from the 1940s to the present. The movie posters have been generously loaned from the collection of Las Vegas businessman Dan Tuntland.
Crossing Guards and Law Enforcement Receive 50% Off Admission All September
Dates: Daily from Tuesday, Sept. 1 through Wednesday, Sept. 30
Location: Available at The Mob Museum’s box office
Cost: 50% off general, premier or deluxe admission at The Mob Museum with valid ID. Crossing guards and law enforcement who purchase a deluxe or premier pass will receive one complimentary souvenir photo. Discount offer extends to one accompanying guest.
Description: School is back in session, and The Mob Museum is proud to offer traffic safety professionals, including police officers, federal law enforcement officers, corrections officers and crossing guards, with 50% off general, deluxe and premier admission from Sept. 1 through Sept. 30. Available only at The Mob Museum’s box office with a valid department or school-issued ID. Crossing guards and law enforcement who purchase deluxe or premier admission will also receive one complimentary souvenir photo. Cannot be combined with other offers.
Limited-Edition 300 Stewart Reserve Bourbon
Dates: Available beginning Thursday, Sept. 10
Times: The Underground is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight.
Location: The Underground speakeasy
Cost: Bottles are available for $45.95, while neat pours are available for $10, and rocks pours for $13, while supplies last.
Description: The award-winning Underground speakeasy and distillery announces the debut of 300 Stewart Reserve, a premium small-batch bourbon aged untouched for 37 months in a new oak charred barrel and named for the Museum and distillery’s historic building located at 300 Stewart Avenue. Available beginning Thursday, Sept. 10, the exclusive release is limited to just 1,047 bottles. Produced in The Underground’s on-site distillery, 300 Stewart Reserve is made from the finest cuts of its 100% non-GMO, food-grade corn mash. More than three years in new charred oak gives the bourbon a complex nose of apple and creamy caramel, while the palate reveals a finely balanced medley of cinnamon, apple pie, brown sugar, oak, honey and leather. Rich, silky and focused on the palate, 300 Stewart Reserve is The Underground’s most refined spirit to date.
National Bourbon Heritage Month Offers
Dates: Every day in September.
Times: The Underground is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight.
Location: The Underground speakeasy
Cost: The Underground Old Fashioned is $16; American Influence Flight is $35.
Description: September is National Bourbon Heritage Month and The Underground speakeasy and distillery invites guests to say cheers with its most popular cocktail. The Underground Old Fashioned blends bourbon, vanilla bean, brown sugar and bitters, while its presentation includes a hidden flask tucked inside a hollowed-out book. Bourbon enthusiasts will also enjoy a fine flight of four distinctive bourbons with the American Influence flight or a pour of the distillery’s new 300 Stewart Reserve bourbon.
The Underground Live Entertainment Calendar
Dates and Times: Friday and Saturday 8 p.m. to midnight; Sunday 7 to 11 p.m.
- Friday, Sept. 4 | Katrina Bree’s Blue Note Trio
- Saturday, Sept. 5 | The Ramblers
- Sunday, Sept. 6 | Cheyenne Adams & The Dirty Business
- Friday, Sept. 11 | Malia Rae & The Wiseguys
- Saturday, Sept. 12 | Coco & The Sidecars
- Friday, Sept. 18 | Dixie Flats
- Saturday, Sept. 19 | Coco & The Sidecars
- Sunday, Sept. 20 | The Syn-Phonics
- Friday, Sept. 25 | Michael Ross Nugent
- Saturday, Sept. 26 | Amanda King and Her Prohibition Three
- Sunday, Sept. 27 | Sandy & The Knightcaps
Location: The Underground speakeasy and distillery
Cost: Free entry is available through the secret side door for visitors who know the daily password, published on Instagram Stories @MobMuseum_Underground.
Description: Revel in the sounds of the Jazz Age with live music inside Las Vegas’ most authentic speakeasy while enjoying expertly crafted cocktails, zero-proof libations and bar bites. Featuring a rotating roster of talented performers surrounded by Prohibition-era artifacts, The Underground delivers Las Vegas’ only immersive 1920s-inspired nightlife experience.
ABOUT THE MOB MUSEUM
The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, provides a world-class journey through true stories—from the birth of the Mob to today’s headlines. Housed in the actual 1933 federal courthouse where mob hearings shook the nation, The Mob Museum is one of the highest-rated attractions and best things to do in Las Vegas, and unlike anything else in the city. With four immersive floors, The Mob Museum offers a provocative, contemporary look at these topics through hundreds of artifacts and immersive storylines. Guests can test their instincts in a live simulation and make the split-second decisions law enforcement face every day or step inside the Crime Lab and learn how forensic scientists, fingerprint analysts and DNA profilers build a case from evidence. The Museum is also home to The Underground, a Prohibition history exhibition, featuring a speakeasy and distillery, that regularly appears on “best speakeasy in Las Vegas” lists. Seeing more than 400,000 visitors annually, and more than 4 million since 2012, The Mob Museum has accumulated numerous accolades, including being named one of Tripadvisor’s “Top 25 U.S. Museums;” one of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Museums in the U.S.;” one of Las Vegas Weekly’s “Twenty Greatest Attractions in Las Vegas History” and “Best Museum;” Vegas Magazine’s “Best Historical Museum;” one of National Geographic’s “Top 10 Things to Do in Las Vegas;” USA Today’s “Best Museum in Nevada,” 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards for “Best Las Vegas Attraction,” “Top Five Best History Museums in the United States” and one of its “12 Can’t Miss U.S. Museum Exhibits;” named “A Must for Travelers” by The New York Times and one of “20 Places Every American Should See” by FOX News. The Museum is a two-time winner of the Mayor’s Urban Design Award for Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The Museum is open daily; visit the website for admission rates and operating hours. For more information, call (702) 229-2734 or visit themobmuseum.org.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
www.Instagram.com/themobmuseum
ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND
The Underground is an immersive Prohibition history exhibition featuring a speakeasy, distillery and private VIP room in the basement of The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement. Artifacts from the 1920s and 1930s tell the intriguing story of the Prohibition era, which not only saw a proliferation of bootlegged booze and the meteoric growth of organized crime outfits but also had a profound, lasting impact on society, specifically making way for modern cocktail culture. A seasonal craft cocktail menu gives guests the opportunity to try contemporary takes on classic Prohibition-era cocktails. The menu and atmosphere have landed the speakeasy on several “best cocktail bars in Las Vegas,” “best speakeasies in Las Vegas,” “best date night” and “best hidden bars in Las Vegas” lists. Distillery tastings allow participants to learn about Prohibition and its impact on a variety of spirits and drinking habits while tasting a few of the Museum’s award-winning moonshines. The distilling program has received accolades, including “Best Moonshine” at the 2020 International Whiskey Competition, “Best in Class” and gold and silver medals at the 2024 American Distilling Institute’s International Spirits Competition and gold and silver medals at the 2022, 2023 and 2024 California Craft Spirits Competition. The Underground hosts regular free live music Fridays through Sundays, showcasing some of Las Vegas’ most talented jazz performers. Complimentary entrance to The Underground is granted at the secret side door to visitors who know the password, which is published daily on Instagram Stories @MobMuseum_Underground.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
www.Facebook.com/TheUndergroundAtTheMobMuseum
www.Instagram.com/mobmuseum_underground
www.Tiktok.com/@undergroundmobmuseum
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Erika Pope/Vanessa Thill
The Vox Agency
erika@thevoxagency.com, vanessa@thevoxagency.com
(702) 249-2977, (469) 226-4723
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