The Liberace Museum is located two-and-a-half miles east of the Vegas Strip on Tropicana Avenue. 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. 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 rare chinchilla worth about $60,000. One also can see the 50.6-pound rhinestone given to Liberace by the Austrian company that provided all his costumes.

Underneath all the flash, the not-for-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. The museum has awarded more than $4.5 million to students at more than 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.

Guided tours of the museum are offered regularly, discussing entertainment history, popular culture, and Las Vegas history. If you get caught up in the mood, the Liberace Museum giftshop will take care of all your rhinestone needs. Here you'll find a variety of trinkets to immortalize your trip to this one-of-a-kind place.