Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum Reviews

My husband and I and another couple stayed at the Boulder Dam Hotel, where this museum is located, for one night after seeing the Hoover (Boulder) Dam. I doubt that we would have even considered going to this museum had we not been staying there. We had some time to kill before we had to leave for Las Vegas for our flight. Both of the men thought the hotel would be interesting; the other lady and myself were not so sure. I am glad to say that the men were right in this case. This small museum is full of fascinating artifacts about the building of the dam and about the dam itself, as well as stories about the workers who built the dam. Not being particularly interested in construction or engineering, I thought I would be bored to tears. However, I found myself fascinated by how something so monumental was constructed in the year 1931. But we all found ourselves caught up in the stories of the men who worked on the dam, as well as the women of early Boulder City. The exhibits are well done. We did not have time, unfortunately, to see the movie. The admission is free to patrons of the hotel. I believe it is only $2.00 anyway. After seeing the museum, we were more than happy to leave a donation. If you find yourself in Boulder City, which is actually a cute, quaint town, do not miss this place.

Good overview of the huge construction project. Activities for young and old. The movie at the end of the display should be seen first. So go left and see it and then start over.

Since we knew Hoover Dam tours were closed due to COVID, we stopped at the Hoover Dam Museum in Boulder City before heading to the dam. The exhibits are interactive, interesting for both kids and adults. We learned a lot about the construction and history of the dam.

we went through the historic part of boulder city by accident when we took a wrong turning on our way to hoover dam and decided to return and stop on our way back after our hoover dam tour. Like a little sleepy village with small shops and some lovely metal statues that are placed around the small town streets I believe made by or donated by town members.

Watch the speed limits. I was warned about speed traps. One spot near the dam posted a 5 miles per hour speed limit. Huh? why so low?

It is a spectacular view from the top of the dam. I walked from one end to the other. Too bad the water is every low. It is amazing the amount of work that went into building the dam.

Only visited the museum, cost was $10. It was worth the visit for me. Go to the top of the building and have a look out.

Covered parking was $20 near the front entrance and on the other side of the dam. I missed it and had to go to the Arizona side of the dam to turn around. If you go up the hill a bit, parking is free.

We took a peek- were not going to do it- decided to walk through-was very informational. Worth the stop before seeing the Dam.

The Boulder City / Hoover Dam Museum is great! It's much better than the one at the Visitors Center at the Dam! They have great exhibits and displays. I'd definitely recommend it!!!

I was doing a trip from Salt Lake to Phoenix and then through Vegas and back to Salt Lake and decided to stop and visit the dam which I usually just drive through. I have been here before but it was great to get out and see it. I love nature but it is pretty amazing what man can do as well.

Couldn't see much because of too many people, staff didn't seem friendly & overpriced. Not my idea of fun.

We took the power plant tour, it is 100's of feet below the top of the dam...pretty cool. We enjoyed it. not too long..20 min

Very good, but small, museum. $2 for adults and $1 for students/military. Video is old, but very informative and better than the one at the dam itself. The exhibits are very interesting. Took my husband and I about 1 hour to complete, but we read all the information on the exhibits.

Does a great job with the life of dam worker! Has an older era movie at end.
Highlight is the operational model of the concrete delivery buckets on cables!

I went to the dam with a few friends. I was not expecting that place to be so beautiful. We did the power plant tour because the dam your was sold out. Really good information and amazing facts on how they build that monster in 5 years. Will recommend everyone to go.

Delightful little museum about the building of Hoover Dam including a video, scavenger hunt and hands on activities. All this for $2! Better than doing the dam tour....informative and fun.

I love small town museums, and this one offers visitors an overview of the history of the Hoover Dam. I always take out-of-town visitors to this museum, which is located in the Historic Boulder Dam Hotel.

it was wonderful to visit this small town museum many of the displays had extra information on the people who built the Dam

Small museum but very informative and nicely laid out. Lots of interesting facts and details. Located in the lovely Boulder city hotel. Also has a small gift shop with lots of local art for sale. Makes for a very nice outing.

We went on the dam tour and saw the poWer plant, movie, museum and were 500 feet inside the dam. We learned a lot and had great guides. A great tour.

My wife and I both read each and every panel, listened to each recording and were fascinated by the history and stories of the men who made one of America's greatest accomplishments. If government regulations and special interest groups would stay out of the way, America could be more self-sufficient and more prosperous.

The Boulder City and Dam Museum does a wonderful job of setting the stage for a visit to Hoover Dam. We happened upon it as a guest of the Boulder Dam Hotel, but encourage everyone to stop by for an hour or so to learn about the men, women and children who suffered extraordinarily harsh conditions to support the Dam’s construction. Well-organized exhibits immerse visitors with sights and sounds that convey with intimate detail the stories of Boulder City’s first citizens. Very well done.

One of the staff at the Nevada Visitors Center recommended this museum, and we're very glad she did. It was very informative and well laid out, and only $2 admission. Exhibits cover the reasons for the dam, how construction came to be authorized, steps involved in the construction (blasting tunnels to divert the river, pouring concrete 24/7 for two years), the Depression, who worked on the dam, life there for the workers and their families, and more. The orientation film (about 20 min) is very dated (late fifties) but still useful. They also make it fun by giving you a list of questions to answer as you go through the exhibits.

If you’re driving n the area, going on a Hoover Dam tour is a must. It was definitely worth the money. So much history. What an engineering marvel. The museum is pretty awesome too. The bridge is incredible. Great place to visit and take pictures.

Awesome little museum in Boulder City itself (not at the Hoover Dam) that only costs $2 per person to get in. Definitely worth your time/money and extremely interesting. Amazing how professional done this museum is for it's small size. It shares a different perspective than the information at the dam. This one is from the perspective of the people who built the dam and what their life was like. Be sure to check the hours before you go (the museum website says 10am to 5pm daily, while TripAdvisor says 10am to 4pm). It is located in an historical Boulder Dam hotel. If you go in the front door of the hotel, the museum is to the right, up some short stairs, and then down the hallway. Watch the video when you first arrive and then tour the museum. Seeing the whole museum with the movie is probably less than an hour. We went after we had breakfast at the Coffee Cup, did the full Dam Tour and Visitor Centers, visited the memorial bridge, antique shopped and had ice cream in Boulder City, and then debated going (since we had already done so much). So glad we did not miss it -- it was fantastic. Highly recommend!

We visited this museum while staying at the delightful Boulder Dam Hotel where it is housed. Admission is included for hotel guests are available for a small charge to others. Displays focus on construction of the bridge and the lives of the thousands who contributed to this monumental effort. They are suitable for visitors of all ages and are an excellent preparation for a visit to the site.

Historic hotel in Boulder City houses a free museum detailing the building of the Hoover Dam. It's a nice exhibit, and the stop is very worthwhile - good to understand what all went into construction. After that go see the dam!
Hotel also has a restaurant, and a small artists' coop store with some nice one-of-a-kind handmade souvenirs.

Facts are interesting, and you can learn much about the construction of Hoover Dam. There are models and many photograps of what took place in the planning and building of this great structure.

This was a great place to stay. It is a historic hotel so the rooms and bathrooms are small. I was given adjoining rooms for my family of 4 but only paid the one room rate. There are many highlights to this hotel: the excellent helpful staff, the made to order breakfast and the small but interesting Hoover Dam Museum. We had a blast going through the museum with the provided scavenger hunt paper. We also learned a lot about the Hoover Dam before visiting it the next day. I would definitely stay here again. I stayed here with my 3 adult children.

What a great little town nearby a great attraction.

Have a look around this place and you will see quirky stores and a quaint town to stop in.

Wow what a pleasant visit, yes the rooms are small but it was cool to be in such a historic site. Breakfast was amazing and cooked to order!!!

They had some interactive exhibits my son enjoyed. It’s a self guided tour and if you by the tour of the power plant the entrance fee is included.

The museum is in the Boulder City Hotel and it is a great museum. We spent about an hour here and really enjoyed it.

Great museum with a ton of history. Impressive views. I chose not to expend the tons of money it would have cost to see the whole dam; the museum tour was enough cash.

The museum is tucked into the back of the building, but definitely worth a visit. The exhibit is divided into well-designed rooms with artifacts from the era. The curators have taken great effort to highlight the historical significance of the design and building of the dam. As for children, they have a scavenger trivia hunt activity for visitors to look for clues in the displays and exhibit rooms. The movie room at the end was fascinating and showed real-time clips of the building process, which gives the visitor a true appreciation for the challenges and incredible engineering that made the dam possible.

Wonderful museum and they have fixed up the 80 year old hotel like it was new .. and the restaurant was great.

As we were guests it was free, however I think it's only a few dollars to visit. Lots of history of how the dam was built.

This is a small museum situated in Boulder City. It seems not many folk find this but it is worth seeking out. It provides a fascinating insight into the lives of the people who built the dam and of their families. Would have liked to spend more time here but as part of a tour we were rather rushed. There is what looks like a very nice leisurely lunch venue in the same building.

One should not go to the museum at the dam without also visiting this museum. While the museum at the dam focuses on the mechanics and construction, this museum focuses on the life of the worker and their family. It was very interesting. You'll have a new-found appreciation for the conditions that the workers had to go through in order to get us the water and electricity that we take for granted these days.

was a very nice guided tour, the people are very kind and the history is very interesting and easy to understand good trip for the whole family

We went here on the way to Hoover Dam and were so glad we had. Lovely little museum. $2 entrance fee for adults. Nice exhibits, some of which are interactive for kids. Good introduction into how the workers on the dam lived. Interesting film show also (the film shown at Hoover Dam itself contains some of the same footage). Worth every cent. Boulder City itself looks very quaint and we would have liked to have been able to spend another hour or so there but were on a tight schedule.

A small compact museum,a lot of information,worth going to prior to visiting the dam itself. Good backgroud history,the short movie is better than the one seen during the actual dam tour.Also located in a hotel,serves a good breakfast.

I came here on the way to the Hoover Dam almost by accident...just drove through town, saw it, stopped, and looked around.

The museum has quite a bit to offer for the $2 you pay to get in, making it an amazing deal! Everything has an old feel to it, and you get a very good idea of the building of the dam and the story behind how it came to be. There are lots of exhibits, artifacts, and some movies you can watch, too. You can easily spend an hour or two here and not realize it!

The dam itself does not explain much of this history, so this gives you a really good view into the economy and the lives of the people that built it.

This place wasn't too far from Las Vegas, so we planned and drove to visit it. The admission was free unless you wanted to do the tour. There were also souvenir shops and foods for purchase at this place. I would suggest to go early (that was what we did) because we saw a line of cars trying to get in when we were leaving. So plan to go early if you are visiting this place.

My husband and I stopped here on our road trip to Hoover Dam and we are so glad we did.

Boulder City is such a lovely little town and if you are staying in the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas, it's a really great welcome for a bit of piece and quite

The museum is quite small and located at the back of the Hotel, we were welcomed by a lovely lady on the cashier desk who took our $2 entrance fee and gave us a little quiz to do on our way around.

It's a very well presented museum full of great fact about Hoover Dam and Boulder City and we were please to be scored A+ on the quiz.

If you're planning on visiting Hoover Dam, call in here first, it's a beautiful place.

right from the start going through boulder up to the dam area in the museum the build up is great, lots of info from various people on hand. a must see while on holiday near there, but some travel from 100`s miles away. you just need more time to take everything in.

We stayed at the hotel so we decided to check it out and were not disappointed. Excellent display on the dam and it's history. It still amazes me that they were able to build that massive structure with the technology available. I would recommend the short film as well.

We went onto this trip and we had such an amazing time it was so interesting and really better than I expected as the place was clean, tidy and well kept. The facilities were great and the trip in the lift to the fans was ...wow!
56 floors in a few seconds ...
The information given by the people who work there was very knowledgable ....

Quaint little hole in the wall museum depicting the early building days of the dam workers and their families. Worth all of the $2. Upstairs of the Boulder Hotel

A great introduction to both the Hoover Dam construction and the human side of life in Boulder City during construction. Glad we visited here before our tour of the dam.

The story of this is very interesting and the view is worth the trip. I learned some very interesing history and was able to take some beautiful pictures.

There was 3 in our party and had booked a Hoover dam/ lake mead cruise day trip.
We were collected from the hotel in plenty of time , although once at the Hoover dam could have done with 30/40 mins more.
It was a short but informative plant tour, then left to check outside for yourself.
We then left there and went onto Lake Mead cruise , we had lunch on board and went down to Hoover Dam before returning to Las Vegas.
Would recommend this trip.

For a 45 minute exhibit with a short film, we felt it was well presented and informative. Lots of hands on exhibits along with wide range of history education.

This is a small museum in the back of the hotel. Price is modest and the exhibits good. Our whole family liked it and participated in the scavenger hunt. A 23 minute movie walks you thru the building process in a great movietone style. There is good dining nearby.

We popped in to this museum, not expecting much after a disappointing stay at the hotel. However, despite being pretty small its well laid out and is really informative. In fact, we learnt so much about the Hoover Dam that we didn't need to go into the visitor centre there at all!

We stopped here as part of our tour of the Hoover Dam, Great place that tells the storied history of the area. Very informative !

First thing booked on our trip. Beautiful and relaxing and very informative. The kids weren't so into the history but the view was breathtaking.

One of the most interesting times in our nations history and its all right here. Read, listen and learn.

This is tucked away in the old Boulder hotel in the charming small town of Boulder. The displayed are interactive and give great insights into hardships and poverty of the depression years. Unusually, some displays are also quite humorous. Good fun for all!

Well worth the money - very educational. The tour is very well done - the guide's do a fantastic job. The views of the Dam are breathtaking!

Again I read about this museum before we headed off on our road trip, it’s located in the back of the hotel, and although not large it is very informative and certainly makes a visit to the Hoover dam more interesting.

We stumbled upon this little free museum when we were exploring the city. It doesn't take a long time to walk through and it is just kind of a neat space to check out! I felt like it was actually a really cool extension of the hoover dam visit that we had just had. Would recommend stopping in if you're in Boulder City and would like a little more history or just a cool place to stop for something to do.

This little museum is located inside The Boulder Dam Hotel. Admission is only $2 and is free if you stay in the hotel! Even though it's not very big, it's so well done. They have scenes set and some rooms that make you feel you are a part of the past. There is a 20 minute film at the end that you have the option to watch and also a small gift shop. We loved talking to the 91 year old volunteer(I wish I could remember her name) afterwards. If you decide to go to Hoover Dam, skip their tours and visit here instead.

How did they do all of this, you will be asking yourself as you marvel at the views. It is simply amazing that 80+ years ago, a group of determined men created such a wonder.

We have driven across the damn and got out of our car to see what we could but this was the first time we paid the $10 to park and take the tour of the dam. We chose the $15 power plant tour and felt it was excellent. It was very interesting to see and feel the experience inside the damn and see where the power is generated. We got to see one of the turbines that generates the power. They each are taken out for maintenance every 10 to 14 years. There are 17 turbines in total. This tour is worth the cost and time to see.

A good overview of how the masterpiece Dam was build. A good stop prior or after visiting the Dam itself.

Well worth a visit. Nothing to dislike - it was clean and easy to follow. Quite sad to think about those that lost their lives building it.

Interactive displays are imaginative and informative - you can really get the idea of the hardships the men building the dam endured. More than that the lives of the wives and children are also shown - hardy stock for sure!

The work that it took to put the dam together is remarkable. I have been to Vegas 100 of times and never took the time to go visit the DAM but my wife made it a priority and I am so thankful... It is a MUST SEE

The Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum tells the story of the Boulder Canyon Project as it was experienced by the men and women who braved the desolation of the Nevada desert to build Hoover Dam and Boulder City.

The museum is small but is full of exhibits and artifacts that tells a pretty thorough story. The museum is self-guided and only takes about 1-1.5 hrs to see everything. There is a very informative 20 minute video available as part of your tour.

There are some interactive exhibits and hands-on activities for kids.

The museum is part of the Historic Boulder Dam Hotel which is still an operating hotel owned by the Boulder City Museum and Historical Association.

There is a restaurant on site that is open for breakfast and lunch, 6:30am - 2pm.

The museum is open 7 days a week 10am - 5pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Admission $2 adults, $1 children/students.

Booked our trip with viator in the U.K. And it all went without a hitch. Got picked up at our hotel by Big Horn tours in a Hummer covered in Stars and Stripes! Our driver Scott was great and certainly kept the conversation going.
We went through Boulder City on our 1hr journey from the Excalibur to the Dam, although we never stopped it was good to see and Scott gave a running commentary of the history of the area.
The Dam tour is a must and an awesome feet of Engineering, the tour down into the heart of the Dam to see the turbines etc and the visitor centre tour only takes about 45mins and is well organised. The rest of the time you are free to look out over the Dam from the observation deck and then Scott escorted us over the Dam and back, which means you are actually crossing state lines and in the winter a time zone!
The Dam is a must see when in Vegas and would thoroughly recommend Big horn tours.
It's worth noting that we travelled in October and it was 30+ dog outside, but 90 storys down in the concrete Dam it was still a pleasant temp, T shirts! Nit cold as we expected, probably as the air is pumped down.

The museum is small and targeted on the construction of Hoover Dam and town life at that time. But its wonderfully interactive and I think probably good for children. They give you a slip of paper with questions on it asking about the exhibits and there are a lot of interactive parts and places to stamp the slip with a notary stamp. It takes about 30 minutes to 45 to get through, but it is worth it.

I liked how the things they displayed about the hoover dam. I also liked the film they showed how the hoover dam was made.

Amazing day out. We drove from Vegas to see the dam and what a great choice it was. Love the fact your left to view on your own and at your own pace. Will definitely go back again.

An amazing museum that is great for the whole family. Whether you visit the Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum or actually go out and take a tour of Hoover Dam or the other way around, is a great way to spend half a day experiencing and understanding what an engineering marvel Hoover Dam actually is. Need a bite to eat in between. Close by is Boulder Dam Brewing Company, which has some incredible locally brewed micro-brews and some tasty bar food. Friendly tip...check Groupon before doing either three of this visits. Cheers

Surprising gem in the back of the Boulder Dam Hotel. Well worth to spend 45 minutes to see a 20 min video of the dam history as well as browse through the exhibit. Some interactive items, good for kids to learn and understand. Just as good for adults with real-life stories told by workers of the dam. Small fee to enter - highly recommend.

We made the drive from Vegas to check out the Dam. The tour was great, and I liked the fact that you were able to explore on your own. We ate at the restaurant before heading back, and even though there was a ton of people in the restaurant, the service was quick and the food was hot.

We were stayng at the adjoining hotel and popped in to the museum, thinking it would take only five minutes. However, it was more informative and innovative than the exhibits at the Hoover Dam, so we spent longer than planned. It made the era come alive, and is worth a visit if you are in Boulder City, which is a charming place, btw. If Vegas isn't your thing, and yet you need somewhere to stay near the Dam, this is it.

This is a restored hotel from the era of the dam construction, with updating where necessary to make it a comfortable place to stay. The vintage look has been retained where possible. You still use keys here.
There is a chime system, roof-mounted, that chimes the half and full hour marks. It's very pretty, but it started sounding at 7 am after the time change in the fall, and that wasn't welcome. Ordinarily it only plays during normal hours and early evening.

The restaurant is fairly good, and breakfast is part of your room package. The hash browns weren't to my liking, though.

The bathroom in the room we had, possibly an apartment for managers, was VERY tiny. I don't know if that was the situation for all of the rooms. Don't expect a big, roomy bath, and there may not be a tub. There wasn't one in our room.

There are ghosts and presences here, but that's not what this hotel is all about. I never noted any ghostly sensations, but my husband did. Don't get in a tizzy about it. It's a nice hotel, the owners have done a fab job of restoring it, and it's provided a place to stay for many celebrities and historic figures. Howard Hughes recovered here after his Lake Mead aircrash. Bette Davis, Ronald Colman, Shirley Temple, and other Hollywood types walked these halls. Enjoy the history.

Don't miss the museum on your way to Hoover Dam. Learn about Boulder City and the name change in the 40's I believe. I really like the city and I think it's rated in to top 10 in the nation to retire in.

If you are anywhere near this area it is a must see. Packed full of history. It is unbelievable how much work was done in such a small amount of time. Worth the visit.

Great place to stop by and check it out a little history from the Hoover Dam. Less than ten minutes experience.

We loved the in-depth tour of the Hoover Dam. It was filled with lots of interesting facts, amazing views, and terrific tour guides. We loved the whole experience.

So much info and so much to see. It was very educational. Our Guide was very funny. He was the "Dam" Tour Guide. Dam jokes never get old.

Next time we are in Las Vegas - will stop by again.

Interesting museum which we visited before going to the Hoover Dam. Set inside the Boulder Dam Hotel, a lovely period building.

The Boulder City Museum is an excellent way to see how the dam was made, and the history of the area. I love the antique shops, eateries and there is always something going on in BC.

Visited hoover Dam, it was enjoyable.
Parking was a bit of a night mare and one had to park a fare distance from the facilities if one didn't want to pay.
When we were there they had closed the exit from the site on the Arizona side. This meant we had to battle back across the dam to exit on the Utah side of the place

Thebmuseum is well displayed and interesting. The photos and exhibits are enjoyable as they depict littlr known sites and facts. The tour is guided by a well informed person who shares memorable facts along with trivia.

We were walking around downtown Boulder City and stopped in - it was late and we were surprised the museum was open. Museum is in the back of the hotel and was "self serve" operation. Free and donations requested. Worth a stop if in the area shopping or browsing.

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by a huge museum? I have, I end up rushing through and not learning anything. This quaint place is the perfect size and lots of interesting information. Make a stop!

Had a wonderful time traveling through this area. A must stop! On a sunny day with your kids- very safe and clean. Highly recommend to everyone to stop by and take pictures and see the museum.

Ask for the treasure map thingy - it's really fun and you'll learn more about the whole way that the Boulder Damn was built. It was pretty cool to see how the day-to-day stay-at-home-moms and the children lived while the men worked. The building the museum is in - incredibly beautiful with a lovely dining area.

The Hoover Dam Museum gives a nice, quick, inexpensive summary of the history of the city and the dam being built. The hotel adds to the quaint ambiance of Boulder City. Take a few hours and stroll along the streets, supporting the local businesses and the history of this town.

This Museum gives the behind-the-scene tour of the people who worked at the Dam during its construction. It is very interesting and well worth the time. Boulder City is a quaint town where it is easy to imagine life there when the Dam was being built. This is the only town in Nevada where alcohol is not sold. When the Dam was being built, the town fathers did not want the workers to spend all their earnings buying alcohol.

Great city hidden in the desert. Best public art I have ever seen. The Hoover Dam is awesome too! Don't miss the Flying Saucer Area 52 if you visit. Definitely worth the stop.

This is a small museum with some very interesting artefacts and great and plentiful information on the history of the Hoover Dam.

It is also a hotel and restaurant. The lounge has an open fireplace and comfy chairs. Reminds me of an English country house.

Lots of visitors to the Hoover Dam go straight past Boulder City (we have on several occasions) and miss out on this excellent museum. It explains just about everything you want to know and lots you didn't know that you would like to know about the dam, its planning and its building plus the building and development of Boulder City. Well presented and only $2. Great value.

This is hands-down the best display in town.
A passport with quiz questions is provided at the entrance.
Original footage from the 1930's is shown.
Great even for adult children!

As part of a tour we were on we got to stop here and visit the museum. It was very informative and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Would recommend it if you are getting ready to visit the dam to give you background on what you are about to see.

What a spectacular view and to learn history to boot. Went on the tours and learned a lot.
$10 to park. Friendly staff

Free when staying @ Boulder Dam Hotel. Short and informative history of the dam and the area. Definitely spend some time here.

This is part of the Hoover dam visit, so go ahead and take a look. Not a lot of time required, but worth a bit of time to spend there.

Take in the tour. Take time to walk all over the dam.And do it as slowly as possible. And even redo it.

We did a self guided tour and had a ball. Every display is explained in detail. You will learn something about the dam the workers and their daley life. Fantastic.

If you want to know some facts, see some pics and tools from the making of the Dam this isn't a bad place to start. Some cool stories.

A really great place to visit before going on to the Hoover Dam. Not too much information to overwhelm, just informative and pictorial.
There is a 15 minute film to watch at the beginning of the museum, but it's very outdated and quite technical. Not great for children.
It's situated at the top of the historic hotel, which is really quaint. It's also great value for money.
Boulder City itself is supposed to be a historic and interesting place to visit, but it seemed closed the day we visited.

very cool museum & hotel lots of history which wife & i love walking the boulder district is cool must do it @least once

One of several reviews related to a 20 day Grand Circle tour.

Boulder City is a wonderful little town whose historic hotel and the museum it houses should definitely be included in any road trip to Hoover Dam. For those who do their National Park travels in a counter-clockwise direction, or who just take a day trip from Las Vegas, this represents a perfect introduction to the dam, to the men who built it, and to the families who lived it. The museum provides an excellent value for the $2 fee, and includes a short video presentation, interactive stations, and a little quiz whose answers are to be found within the various exhibits. Overall, an excellent stop off for an introduction to the Hoover Dam; well worth the time spent.

As an aside, think about grabbing a bite at the hotel's restaurant prior to going through the museum. The food is yummy and the service is outstanding.

This was a great museum to visit. It’s $2 for adults and $1 for kids. This would be a great place to stop and learn a little more about the history of the dam before actually heading over to the dam itself.

Really enjoyed the old photos and historic information. Amazing to learn how the dam works and how they build the dam.

We always look forward to this stop. We tour the museum stopping at new exhibits, talking with the volunteers and do a little shopping.

The exhibits are interesting and well done. I always learn something new.

great insights.... part of the Hoover Dam visit.
adds value to the visit to understand the magnitude and importance of the Hoover

We went to the museum AFTER being at the Hoover Dam and touring around there... and we still learned lots of things we hadn't learned about at the dam site. This museum really does a nice job of addressing the human/ worker/ community impact of the dam. The displays and videos are informative and well done.
There were some hands-on type artifacts (although a few of them were out of order).
If you are in Boulder City, or want to add to your Hoover Dam experience, plan to spend a minimum of 30-60 minutes at this museum.
This attraction is free, but they do accept donations.

Good little museum in the Historic Boulder Dam Hotel. Lots of historical data and pictures. Good value for the small entrance fee. Discounts for seniors, too!

Visitors can learn about the various jobs in the construction of the dam, the lives of the workers' families, and how flat concrete sections were piled on top of each other to create the vertical dam. A video of 20 minutes or so provides good visuals of the amazing feat of constructing Hoover Dam.

When your in the area, this is a must stop. History buff or nor, this is absolutely worth the trip.Watch the movie, then look at the TWO wonders that were created. One with primitive equipment and one with modern stuff. AMAZING

My daughter (15) and I enjoyed our visit to the Hoover Dam. It was an easy drive (under an hour) from the Strip and I was glad we rented a car and drove ourselves rather than taking a tour bus. Parking was easy and only $10 - suggestion on TA reviews to get an early start and arrive ahead of the tour buses was a good idea. Although we were disappointed the BLM was not offering tours of the Dam itself that day, the Visitor Center and overlook were still worth the time.

The quality of the artifacts and information is awesome and even better, the museum offers free admission. The visitors center at the Hoover Dam costs money and there’s a crazy line. The dam is absolutely worth seeing, but definitely make a stop off here on your way back to Vegas and then check out one of the local restaurants. Food in the hotel looked good and we ate at the brewery down the street.

The museum is inside the Boulder Dam Hotel. It is small but tells a very comprehensive story of how the Hoover Fam was built through the eyes of the men who built it. Some of their equipment and lifestyle tools are on display. Audio and video recordings enhance the presentation.

Loads of information and very well put together. Really enjoyed learning about the making of the Hoover dam and how life was back when it was built!

We always take new visitors to see Hoover Dam and now to the Hoover Dam Museum in Boulder City.
The volunteer staff are friendly and very informative.
The stories behind the building of the dam along with old photos is worth the visit.

A most see if you are in Nevada and went to see the Hoover Dam. Here is the history of how it was build and the many hours and many man who worked and unfortunately died in the construction of this marvelous dam.

I think we learned more here than at the actual Hoover Dam. My kids loved it and the little movie and scavenger hunt were great. Can't wait to get back.

The museum inside of the Boulder Dam Hotel will give you insights as to how the Dam was built and by whom. This is a good stopover if you are headed out to take the daytime inside tour of Boulder Dam. The little museum doesn't cost much and is free if you are a guest. Certainly worth a stopover.

In the back of the historic hotel is a sweet little museum, with many hands-on exhibits. A great visit back in time to get a real feel for the workers building the Hoover Dam, and many exhibits about what life was like for the women and children living on site. Take 1/2 hour break from all the big tourist attractions and visit this sweet little museum!

Small museum in this attractive town off the highway between Hoover dam and LV. Well worth the visit and the old centre is worth a stroll around

Following the tour of the dam we made a trip through Boulder City based on the recommendation of our tour guide. Boulder City is a quaint little town with nice restuarant. While walking around this small town we came across this. Boulder City Museum. It isn't very big but there is a lot of historical information about the city while the dam was being built. There is a movie that plays on a loop as well as exhibits. It was free to walk through the museum.

This museum highlights the experiences and suffering of the men and their families who built Hoover Dam. Makes you appreciate both the determination and character of our ancestors and what they went through. Well worth a visit.

This is a MANDATORY stop for anyone going to Hoover Damn, or as you will learn, Boulder Dam! So much history and its only a couple bucks!

I enjoyed this museum, it wasn't a long one, it was in the historic hotel in boulder city. I felt as if I was back in time reading and seeing what these people had to go through just to put food on the table for their families. Today no one could do what they did. Kudos to the hard work not only the men but the women who raised their families with what they had.

Good info presented in a catchy style. Nice old movie. Museum is in the rear of a lovely old hotel. Charming historic downtown.

The Dam itself is beautiful and the tour inside it was amazing. I especially liked getting a picture through the vent of the dam. The staff was knowledgeable and funny.

Last time we went to the Hoover Dam, we just wandered around. This time we took the Power Plant tour and it was great. Lots of interesting facts. Visitor's Center has the complete story of the dam from start to finish. Recommended!

Worth seeing museum / loving collection of items, photos, videos about Hoover Dam at Hoover Dam Hotel. Several rooms, free entrance (donations welcome...). Insider tip: After that to Fox BBQ, best BBQ far and wide!

Really well done museum. Great history of Boulder City and the dam with many personal accounts of the people that came to build the dam. Educational and well thought out.

Its only 45 minutes from Vegas!! How could you not go!! What an amazing piece of history and engineering accomplishment!

Excellent museum. The history of the Boulder Dam is delivered in an effective, direct but understandable way - you are not over loaded with too much information. You do come away however with a really good understanding of why the dam was built, the people, their way of life and the hardships undertaken to build it. The museum is put together with children and adults in mind and gives great entertainment/ education for about 30/60 minutes.
Free entry if you are an hotel resident.

Were told about this museum at the Boulder City visitor center! Easy to find right inside the hotel. Price is $2. What a steal! Video on building of dam & then interactive museum. Given a quiz to fill in so you really have to read & pay attention to exhibits. Very easy to maneuver around & information easy to read & understand! Staff were very knowledgeable! Different way to look at how building the dam also helped build Boulder City as employees & their families needed a place to live close to the dam. Jobs for people during the Great Depression. Highly recommend this museum.

We popped in to the hotel/museum on Dec 19. Super friendly hotel and museum staff. There also a nice large art/craft galley here that we enjoyed. The museum itself is ok and we recommend watching the 22 minute movie first before seeing the museum.

If you have already been to the Hoover dam museum at the dam a lot of similar info is here.

We enjoyed our 90 minutes here and recommend it for a good overview of the making of Hoover dam and life in Boulder City without the crowds you encounter at the dam.

If they had built the Hoover dam last year you would be impressed but the fact that they built it in the 1930's makes it even more spectacular. The museum answers all the questions about how they managed to build such a great landmark so long ago.

This is s fine dam and well worth a look
10 dollars to park nearby
Free if you walk 20 mins
Top tip the 15 dollar tour is enough
The thirty dollar your is overpriced
Very busy

Not is only a museum also a hotel. Rooms are small but clean and comfortable. Museum is small but nice .

The historic Boulder City Hotel is elegant and well-maintained.
Upon entering the lobby, a baby grand piano has a stately presence. The lobby is immaculate. The front desk clerk directed us to go up the stairs and turn left for the art gallery and museum.

The art gallery was unremarkable but was remarkable was the gallery attendant's rudeness. Umm. This hotel is reputed by many reliable sources to have hauntings. I purchased $5 in postcards; tracked down and asked the lemon-faced gallery attendant (who seemed to be avoiding us as I found her in a very tiny room at the very back of the gallery) if she knew anything about hauntings in the hotel.

She actually snickered and said, in the tone of voice where someone has said something so ridiculous they should be told how stupid they are, "No, I don't know anything about it. This hotel is not haunted." She tossed her hair over her shoulder with an air of triumph and self-satisfaction.

Well.

That hotel has long had a reputation for being haunted. A lot of people have an interest in, and/or believe in paranormal events. To Miss Gallery Clerk, I recommend you open your mind to the possible and to not openly insult people who visit, spend $$ in that gallery and maybe have a bigger grasp of the Big Picture than you do. But have a lovely day, anyway.

Everyone else was lovely. A short film explained about Hoover Dam. Lots of photos on the walls tell more of the stories. A nicely appointed little gift shop with reasonably priced memorabilia.

Many celebrities have stayed at this hotel and it is a highlight of Boulder City architecture.

The Restaurant.
At the restaurant, I was already preparing my review and it wasn't pretty. However the heroic efforts of Bailey, only on her second day of employment, did a lot towards damage control.

Let me be kind and say that Sundays are their busiest days and if you sit outside, there is an excellent chance you will not receive service without repeatedly visiting the hostess. Bailey was lovely and apologetic and 1.5 hours after we first sat down, we were sated with excellent food.

I'm sure had we gone during the week, we would have had a different experience but most of the staff tries very hard to make it a great experience for you.

Boulder City looks like a quaint little town with some fun little shops. The museum was ok but kind of small not many things to see. If you hadn't been to the Hoover Dam it might be more interesting but after going their the museum was kind of boring.

In a classic hotel and small (but only $2 admission), plan on an hour with the movie. Good overview.

Zipped to Hoover Dam to take some early morning photos before the crowds came. Note, there is a security inspection before you get to the dam (the car in front of me had all their possessions out of the vehicle for personal inspection). After leaving the dam, I dropped into Boulder City, just to see what was there.

The Hoover Dam museum is actually inside of the Hoover Dam Hotel. As I entered the hotel, I saw folks having breakfast in the restaurant. I was hungry, so I sat down there. Let me tell you it was a good, tasteful, hearty breakfast (egg, french toast, bacon, etc.) for about $7. The service was quick and friendly.

The museum opened at 10 O'clock and the cost is $2. It is extremely small, maybe about the size of four guest rooms. However, it really gives you a good idea with photographs and verbal presentations of what the builders of the dam had to go through.

Come for the great breakfast and do a little history turn to the time of the building of the great dam. It was an excellent tourist find to stumble onto.

Visited with Hubby, son and girlfriend (both 21). What was striking was the lack of visitors to a town which had made such an effort with statues, shops, restaurants and wide walkways. There was such a wide variety of dinning and shopping to suit all. Well worth a visit, we did twice.

Beautiful day get away from Vegas. Walk across the viewing bridge to get a nice view of the dam along with Intake Towers on Arizona and Nevada side, as well as the catchment area

Wherever we travel, we make it a point to check out any local museums. This museum is so well done. We did not expect it to be as comprehensive. But - don't let a little town fool you. This caretakers of the city's history have taken great pride in their museum. Plan to spend at least 1.5-2 hours. The time went so fast and we probably could have stayed longer.

We thoroughly enjoyed the museum and the film they show about the making of the Boulder Dam. The artifacts were displayed in an interesting way with interactive exhibits. The docent was very kind and she pointed out some less obvious pieces.

A very interesting and instructive experience, not only on the Hooverdam-project, but also on Herbert Hoover and Frank Crowe.

I went with my son's family visiting from Boston. The boys were 3 and 6 and the 6 year old sat through the film (which was 22 minutes) without moving and was so interested. The 3 year old not so much. They enjoyed walking around and seeing the historical items and both got a Big Horned Sheep stuffed animal at the end-a bargain for $7.00.

The museum is located In the hotel on the 2nd floor. You take a long hallway to the museum. When you enter you can take a passport to get stamped along your tour. It was very well put together. Learned a lot about the dam and the town.

This was a good museum. It has a lot of information on how the dam was built. There is a lot of pictures and artifacts to look at that explained how life was back when the dam was built.

Nice little museum in the Boulder Dam Hotel. You get a feel for what it must have been like during the building of the dam. Don't miss this little gem.

I highly recommended making this site part of your Vegas experience. Reasonable to visit and an interesting part of America history.

Well worth $2 to see the film and the rest of the museum artefacts. Also worth seeing the art gallery next door. This museum is in the back of a hotel-you have to go through the lobby.
If you are lucky you might meet the great Sandy Nelson playing the piano in the lobby

A quick visit to see old photos and geographical information.
Amazing video of time lapse building of dam by pouring concrete.
Worth a run through

Our family enjoyed both of these. Beatiful views & well run tours (as with anything yes, there is some waiting and some shifting of groups from line to line but overall not bad and also parts you can do on your own). Boulder City itself is very quaint and a good place to stop for lunch (The Coffee Cup was fab--like a kitschy diner but with a western/mexican flair) and a treat for the kids.

Taking a few minutes to study the many photographs that depict the harsh conditions experienced by the thousands of men drafted in to complete this immense project gives you a greater 'sense' of the actual dam when you visit it ( and you must)
We stayed at the hotel so for us visiting the museum was easy as its on the first floor of the hotel

Having visited the Dam the day before we didn't pay the $20 for the Dam's
visitors centre.
But saved our bucks and went to the free small museum in the hotel in Boulder City, where we were staying.
What a great surprise, small but very interesting, lots of small pieces and stories.
Lots to read and look at.
History channel DVD about the dam construction was shown.
Small gift shop.
Highly recommended.
45/60 mins visit depending on how much you read.

Well worth the visit. Great to see the displays and read the stories about the construction of the dam before visiting it. Definitely recommend making the stop. Nice cafe’s and restaurants around the museum as well. Free entrance through the hotel and ample free parking on the streets around the museum.

This is a nice little museum that you can go through as quickly or as slow as you'd like. Full of lots of interesting details about the time in history when the dam was built and about the men who built the dam and their families. Perfect for history buffs and to visit before the hoover dam tour. Only $2 per person!

Really for $2 we were not sure what to expect. Were we ever surprised! The gal at the front desk was amazing. She knew so much about the area and provided us with lots of info. There wasn't a question she could not answer. The exhibits are done up in a very informative way. The dam is truly a man made wonder. We went to the museum before we visited Hoover Dam and we are sure glad we did.

This is a real gem of a museum located in the historic and beautiful Boulder City Hotel. Exhibits are well done and make you feel like you are actually there! Great film on the building of Hoover Dam also. Well worth a stop - the price is your time!! :)

I spent over an hour in this museum it was so interesting. A nice gift shop and the woman there will tell you a lot about the building of the Hoover Dam and how they do not have gambling in this town.

It is almost unbelievable that this great expanse of a dam was built with the primitives tools without more workers being killed.

We loved this and have done it twice now.Get all the history as you may not ever be able to go back again Workers at their best

Boulder City Historic Centre for us has been a "find" - delightful shops and eateries, with antiques, crafts etc, and in the Boulder Dam Hotel a delightful, well-presented, informative and interesting little museum - focusing on the workers who built the Hoover Dam and the conditions that they worked under. More informative than the displays at the Hoover Dam itself (hence the higher score!). Small shop with some souvenirs. If you are visiting the Hoover Dam, don't fly past Boulder City and this lovely little museum!

Was an ok visit...lots of facts/items and memories during the building of the dam. Wasn't bad, but see many making a special trip to see

I love that this museum is not crowded. It is very small but it is such a nice stop and so much better than dealing crowds at the dam. I think you should drive to the dam and get an interior tour if you like a lot of engineering facts. If not, just drive to dam look around on top of dam and then stop in Boulder City at the museum and have lunch at Milo's Wine Bar or the Scratch House across the street. I cannot recommend the Boulder Dam Hotel for lunch but the Museum is wonderful.

Museum showing the history of the dam was pretty good. Tour was also pretty good, but splurge to get the full tour if you can, the power plant only tour only lasts about 20 min and does not see much. The full tour goes deeper into the dam and lets you look out one of the vents in the actual dam.

This is an excellent museum and wonderful place to start your Hoover Dam experience/touring. Boulder City is also a cute and quaint town and worth the visit. Tip: start here for just a couple bucks an adult each and then head over to the new bridge/overpass/bypass above the dam and take the walk out on it for great overlook and photos. Skip the expensive parking garage at the dam and the expensive per person dam museum. It will save time, money and you will enjoy it better!

This was an excellent museum with a lot of history of the dam and the staff was quite knowledgeable. I'd never been to the dam; she gave me some tips on where to get the best view, etc. And while we were there we bought a "dam t-shirt".

Lots of options from post cards, decals, mugs & glasses to upper end jewelry. You can also grab a snack and drink.

We found this museum to be a real treat. The displays were interesting and well done. What a fascinating bit of history. Don't forget to leave a donation. It will be worth it.

This was both educational AND interesting for my husband and me! We probably won't be back more than once though.

If you don't have time to go to the Grand Canyon, go at least there! It is less than an hour from Vegas and the view is great!!

A 30 minute experience that expands your understanding of the individuals and families that built the Dam. An informative experience for children with the especially detailed displays.

I have visited the Dam Museum multiple times with our out-of-State visitors. An excellent follow-up after visiting the Dam!

This place is charming and comfortable. It is old school, but it is very clean. From the moment we walked in we were made to feel welcomed and at home. The hotel has so many nice touches and little extras that make you want to hang around.
We took a morning walk around town and then came back to have the free breakfast.. It was actually made to order and wonderful! The next time we’re in the area this will definitely be one of our stops.

This is my second time coming to the Hoover dam except this time I took the tour. The tour went more I depth with the history background of how the dam was built and why it was built. Good family experience when traveling to Las Vegas.

This museum, together with the tour, give a great impression on how the dam was built and what a spectacular amount of engineering and effort has been put into accomplishing this all.

This is a smaller museum and very inexpensive to visit. It's a good place to stop on they way to the Hoover Dam and learn a little bit more about how the dam was built. It is a hands on museum so if you have little ones they would like it.

We past by this place on the way to visit the Hoover Dam.
The Dam itself is a great place to visit, but save time to stop by this wonderful museum. It only costs $2 per person to walk through the self guided tour. There is a scavenger hunt that leads you through the history of an important structure and time in our history.

Very informative museum, lots of trivia and some interactive displays
I would recommend for hover dam enthusiasts but not for the casual tourist

Wonderful and detailed museum outlining the fascinating story of how the hoover dam was built. Worth a visit as it adds to the awe you experience on seeing the actual dam. It is in the old hotel and part of the historic centre. Weill worth visiting and free

Had a great day here the tour guide was a amazing lots to see and do
Would recommend this trip
So much to see and learn about this

I recommend doing the full Hoover Dam tour (going right down into the dam) and then checking out this excellent local museum. The hotel itself is a landmark too, but the displays have some great text material, based on the experiences of some of the hard working manual labor folks who made the whole project possible. Nevada has some excellent small-ish museums, and this is one of them.

Nice road trip from Vegas! 45 minutes away from the strip! Nice views on your way there! Checkpoint 10 min before the dam! We didn't took the tour ! You can walk the whole Dam without paying! Free parking passing the Dam! If you want to park inside is $10!

The Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum is located in the historic Boulder City Hotel. Food is available in the hotel restaurant and the Art Guild Cooperative Gallery is also located on site. We stopped in while visiting old town Boulder City and the price was a draw also. Incredibly done history of the Hoover Dam in the museum, including a short video that went into a lot of detail. Excellent experience, learned more/new information, and definitely worth the cost and time. If you have the time, well worth it...

This is a hiddne gem. Museum on secton floor of the old hotel. It is packed full of info on the building/creating of Hoover Dam. Wish you could get tour of hotel iself and see a room, would be nicer. Building on national historic registry. Only thing is we came and woman who is curator of museum was out on bank run. We had to wait several minutes (15) and no real apology. SHe was informative and friendly tho. She gives u a question answer paper to tak thru and get stamps for your "passport". Well done inside a small space. $2 each, worth it

A good place to see the history of the dam along with details from the people that lived during that time. This museum has personal first hand information that the Hoover Dam's museum does not have.

The tour guide was awesome and knowledgeable. Boulder City museum gave me childhood flashbacks. You must book this tour

This fun museum puts you on a scavenger hunt into the past of Boulder City and the dam. It really brings this history to life. It'll only take you half hour to 45 minutes to do and it gives you a much better perspective on the sacrifices that people made to build the dam and the city that serves it.

We visited this museum as part of our stay at the hotel - we enjoyed it as part of the package but probably wouldn't stop as a separate stop.
It is informative and well done but it is a small display.

This is a great stop and must see while on your travels in this area.Get a Rental car and go at your own pace.

We loved this museum, learned so much about the dam and town of Boulder.
You begin by watching a short movie bout the dam and then you are given a book with questions bout the dam. You must tour the museum for the clues to the answers. We really enjoyed ourselves, not crowded at all.
Boulder is a lovely little town with plenty of cute shops and places to eat.

Ran into Chumlee on the street, asked me if I seen the Old man?

Amazing to see how these guys built this way back without all the technology we have today. The tours are well worth the money and the staff is well educated. Not to be missed

We have been to the Hoover Dam a couple of times and have done their ( expensive) tour which I thoroughly enjoyed. Whilst that was about the actual building of the dam this museum was more interesting as it was about the different jobs and the people and their living conditions during construction. Two dollars to get in!!! Bargain.
I would also recommend visiting the antique stores whilst in Boulder City they had some great pieces.

We opted to go to this small inexpensive museum rather than pay the big bucks at the dam. We were both very pleased with the displays and stories that were told by people who had been there to help build the dam. Very well done. There was a video to watch at the end as well which filled in much of the details about building and materials. Watching it was a trip down memory lane for us. It was an older documentary and was narrated in much the style of ones we had seen in elementary school in the '50's. It was informative nonetheless. There were only 2 or 3 other people there when we visited on a weekday around noon. We highly recommend a visit to anyone interested in the history and not so much in climbing on the dam. The hotel in which it is located has been lovingly rehabilitated and features a restaurant, too. There is a small gift shop and art gallery as well.

Great illustration of the creation of Boulder City and Hoover Dam and well appointed.. If you are staying in the hotel madmission (which is nominal) is nfree.

Enjoyed the exhibits. It was an interesting look at the people who built the dam and what the workers endured.

Very well organized - informative - great video and pictures. Almost too much to absorb in one visit. Bes ure to take the dam tour also!

This little museum is inside of the Boulder Dam Hotel. The self guided tour gives a nice history of the economic times and the area prior to the dam being built as well as information on the dam itself. We spent about 25 minutes walking through the exhibit and thought it well worth the time.

Although I know there's some history here surrounding the community that built the Hoover Dam, there is nothing intriguing about this "museum." It contains a lot of displays and a few artifacts, but nothing to peak your interest so that you spend more than a few minutes just walking through. This seems to be a stop on just about every tour, but it's a time filler, at best/.

This was a stop on our Hoover Dam tour. Nice and quaint museum located in an historic building/hotel. Nice little art gallery included. You don't need that much time in the museum so, if you can, walk around the immediate area as well.

I have been there several times over the years, especially when having out of state guests. The Museum presents a great program
before you actually go down into the dam. A great take in always.

On your way to the Hoover Dam be sure to stop off in Boulder CIty which was constructed to house the people and families who worked on the construction of the Hoover Dam. There are some of the original homes from the construction era although most have been renovated. There is also an excellent museum located in a hotel just off the main street. You will not be disappointed.

Must see when in area. The idea that this was designed and built 80 years ago boggles my mind, a true testament to the American spirit, grit and ability to think outside the box.
Tour was great, views were unbelievable and my teenagers were so in awe they put their phones down and lived in the moment which is a minor miracle in itself.

We have jut returned from a holiday in Las Vegas. The Hoover Dam was on our must do list, and we were not disappointed. It is the most amazing construction. But the Icing on the cake was the wonderful little museum, what a gem. If you go to the Hoover Dam please pop into the museum, I hope you love it as much as we did.

A great museum located in the Boulder Dam Hotel and free to guests of the hotel. It was a great museum and the short film at the end ties it all together. It is a great place to take children. They even have a scavenger hunt which adults along with children can participate in.

This was part of our Hoover Dam tour that picked us up at our strip hotel ...
This was a stop on way back and I think it should be on the way to the Dam instead but anyways ....
Lots of Dam information and the regular price is pretty Dam cheap at $2/adult, doesn't take too Dam long to go through but is actually pretty Dam neat
... One thing we did learn ahead of time is to not call it "Hoover Dam" when you're in Boulder City as the folks there are still bitter the name was changed from Boulder Dam to Hoover Dam ... Call it Hoover and you'll probably get a Dam funny look

The history of this feat of engineering and the people that made it a reality is covered in this museum.

We visited this museum after visiting Hoover Dam and taking the tour. For admission of $2, this museum has exhibits as well as a film. The film is 20 minutes long and is better than the film that was shown at the visitors center at Hoover Dam. There are exhibits to depict the building of the dam. One can see photographs, newspapers, and other memorabilia from that era. This is a very interesting museum and should be visited either before or after one tours the dam.

It started out as a walking passport for my mother-in-law, and turned into a history lesson for me. If you want to learn about the dam before you go to the dam, this is a great start.

Love small local museums and this little gem was much better than anticipated! Although it doesn’t have the depth of engineering background as the museum at the actual dam has, it does give a delightful overview.

The single negative comment I have is for the staff at the Hoover Dam Hotel. When you walk in, there isn’t a sign directing you to the museum. I walked up to the hotel check in desk where I was abruptly told...”be with you in a minute”. Must assume the private gossip session gal was having (with a co-worker, about a different co-worker) was very important. I waited 2 or 3 minutes (and learned some very private details), before being directed to the back of the hotel.

Highly recommend this free museum,

The Hoover Dam Museum in Boulder City is a great way to stretch your legs and learn about the area. It's only $2!

The museum opens at 10am and visitors start their tour with a 20-minute video sharing why and how the dam was created. Then you're free to roam the self-guided tour featuring exhibits from the building era, quotes from notable people and, best of all, hands-on things the kids will enjoy.

There's a restaurant on site, as well as clean restrooms. The area the museum is located is filled with lots of little shops, including antiques shops you may enjoy.

This was our first visit to Boulder City and we found it to be very quaint and friendly.

Amazing place but you have to get through the traffic to get there due to security measures. Well worth the wait though as very interesting

We loved this tour! Very awaking experience, the pure size of the dam and the tunnels. Started in 1931 and finished in 1936 two years ahead of schedule. The tour was great and learned many things about the dam. Was called Boulder dam then changed to hoover dam. I would recommend this tour. This dam is a part of history. Stan H.

This museum may be small, but the information is top of the line. The exhibits are beautifully planned and executed to tell the story of the people who built the dam. There is a quiz that is designed for kids but is fun for adults too. Try to solve the puzzles and answer all the questions to enrich your own experience. The gift shop has lovely posters, postcards and a good selection of books. Small museums like this one deserve our support. Highly recommended.

Located a bit out of the way on the second floor of the hotel but it's a gem. Very informative and thorough display. Recommend visiting this museum before going to Hoover Dam and the visitor center. Focus of this display is on the hearty and courageous people who build the dam.

This is a good museum adding to the story of those who worked to build the Hoover Dam and the life and conditions which they experienced

Hoover dam is about an hour away from Las Vegas but don't plan on spending the day there. The tour is need and so are the views but you really can't stay for more than a few hours. Make sure to bring plenty of water and sun block because there is no shade. It is worth the time.

Found this by Accident when having lunch in Boulder City. Not advertised, but found Statues with information on how to get information and a website to view the various stops, with a map. Use you cellphone to follow this trail

Many statues are only given names and some have a detailed description of the statue. Interesting bit of Boulder City history for a walking tour dedicated to the founding of this area. Fun statues and areas to see.

There are 11 sites within the city to walk to.
Site 1: Boulder Dam Hotel
Site 2: LA Water and Power Building
Site 3: Alabam
Site 4: Puddlers' Break
Site 5: Colorado Street
Site 6: Denver Street
Site 7: Lake Mead Overlook
Site 8: GeneratorTurbine
Site 9: Wilbur Square
Site 10: City Hall
Site 11: Ben Glaha Images

Since I knew little about the history nor construction of the dam, I found this this intimate museum in the Boulder Dam Hotel in Boulder City, NV very interesting. Only spent about half an hour there as it was about to close, but that was enough. Free, also a bonus.

For $2 you can't go wrong! This was more about the people who built the dam - and life in Boulder City, probably America's first socially engineered city - rather than the engineering feat itself. Well worth a visit!

Stop off at Boulder City and have lunch at the micro brewery in the centre of town, Food and drink great. Lots of antique shops to visit and the town is very pretty. Boulder City use to house the workers building the Hoover Dam they obviously had very good housing as this is a lovely town. The Hoover Dam and tour are well worth the money as they really give you a feel of what it was like building the dam and the great feat of engineering it is.

We stayed in the hotel housing this museum. Great information on the history of Boulder City and the area.

On our way to Hoover Dam we stopped for breakfast. While eating we talked to a local who told us we had to visit Boulder City Museum prior to going to the dam. We took this mans advice and we are so glad we did! This museum is all about the town and people who built the Hoover Dam. I was so impressed by all that I learned and was so happy to have been lucky enough to have been told about this gem! Everyone who goes to the dam needs to make this museum your first stop of the day!

What a nice little museum! Very informative about the building of Hoover Dam and local History. Admission is well worth it. I highly, highly recommend this, if in the area

A good way to get more insite on why and how the dam was made. It really makes you invision the workers building this grand structure and their sacrafices they made in order to achieve this work of art. Worth the money.

After a disappointing visit to the visitors centre at the Hoover Dam, one of the employees pointed us in this direction. Absolutely worth the extra journey. A free museum, put together by the locals informing you about the people’s way of living whilst building the dam, and the dam construction itself. Self guided, and lots of interaction. Our 13 year old found it fascinating, the 11 year old got bored by the end. Stayed just over an hour and learnt a lot more than the actual visitors centre itself by the Dam. A must if you are self driving.

I have been to the Hover Dam and this museum was a great added benefit to see how the dam was built. I feel more people should visit this place. It was the best move about the building of the dam!!

Just happen to be coming through town. Stop to see the sights and have a bite to eat for lunch what a cute little town. 105° today

My husband and I visited the Hoover Dam first, then came to the museum second since we hadn't enlisted help of a tour guide at the dam. There was a man at the museum taking our $2 to get in. I proceeded to take a look a the small museum and really liked all the presentations there.
My husband spent at least 45 minutes speaking with the retired professor about the area. What a gem he is! He really made the visit so much more interesting for my husband. Wish I could recall his name.

The museum is not very big, but very interesting. We saw the film of how the dam was build and that was very useful.

Not a large museum but lots of history. A DVD is playing that explains the dams construction with original films of the work on the dam. A lot has changed in construction since the dam was built.

You can see the entire museum in less than an hour including visiting the local art gallery.

Located in the historic Boulder Dam Hotel, this small museum contains artifacts from the Hoover Dam construction project. There are interactive exhibits, oral histories and a small film which gives the history and background of the building of the Hoover Dam. Small gift shop at the end of the self guided tour.

Situated in the back of the 1933 hotel, the museum (free) tells the often grim tale of this monumental engineering project. Spend an hour, max here, and the exhibits will take you from start to finish. Clearly a labor of local love, there's also a nice gift shop with items made by local craftspeople.

A lovely small museum that shows an excelent display of the Hoover Dam from its begining. The enterance is free.

We love the charm & old world comfortable feeling of Boulder City downtown! We have been there maybe 50 times! The shop items have gone up in price though. The ONLY reason we didn't buy our forever home in Boulder, was due to the electrical lines from Hoover Dam, running through the center of the residential area's. Can possibly cause health issues. Otherwise, we are big fans of Boulder.

The vivacious lady at the ticketing desk was hugely friendly and engaging. We enjoyed filling in a knowledge quiz sheet which encouraged us to read and observe (tip: look above eye level). For us who had just completed the Hoover Dam tour, this provided complementary information; reminding us how phenomenal and superhuman this mammoth achievement truly was - and is still.

To add to the enjoyment, the air conditioned environment (outside is over 100 degrees F) is pure bliss. I also liked the gift shop where I bought 2 space pens!

My husband & I had the pleasure of staying at The Boulder City Hotel on a trip from Flagstaff to Las Vegas. The location in historic Boulder City is perfect. The surrounding area is extremely walkable and there are plenty of great options near by for dining. We stayed in the Art Deco suite which further enhanced the experience. The decor was fascinating. The lobby of the hotel is like taking a step back in time. All of the staff was very pleasant. The breakfast in the hotel restaurant which was complimentary to guests was wonderful.
If you stay, defiantly take in the Hoover Dam museum, we visited before heading to the Dam and it made the visit so much more enjoyable. The staff of the museum are extremely knowledgeable and friendly, sharing info of the museum as well as the city.
If you have the opportunity, definitely treat yourself to this historical gem!

We arrived too late to do both the movie and tour the museum, and since we were taking a tour of the dam the next day the docent suggested skipping the museum movie. Glad we did. The museum has a nice collection of artifacts and provides a good look at the life of the people who built the dam and Boulder City. Very interesting.

Perfect place to start when exploring Hoover Dam and Boulder city. Boulder City is such a charming town and worth the time to stop. The history of the town and the dam is pretty incredible. After your time in the city head to Hoover Dam and explore. Its worth the time. Its worth seeing

We stopped in to use the restroom and found ourselves walking though the entire exhibit. It was late Thursday evening and it was just us and 2 other couples. The entire exhibit was wonderfully done and really showed the hardships the workers went through. Sound - Pictures - Fascinating!

The hotel is very historical, you can tell they did their job to keep it immaculate, it is clean, they give you lots of information and at night the streets are very quiet and calm you can walk and feel the safe around, recommended.

The museum offers an in depth story about the history of Hoover Dam and the history of Boulder
City. It is a self guided tour,but has enough pictures, articles, artifacts to cover any important in formation about the Dam. There is a nominal charge of $3. Any visit to Boulder City should include a visit to the museum.

Christmas decorated,piano,fireplace and historic room. Friendly staff, A museum and art gallery on the premises.,

Want to know more about hydro power? This is the place to visit. Great for families / couples / any age. Worth doing one of the tours to get underground in the lift, and see some of the tunnels / turbines in action. Amazing facility, which lots of information available to read and learn about.

We were guests at the hotel and got free entry. It was super interesting and learned more than I knew, even as a local. Nice little perk to the hotel.

This museum was at the end of a corridor on the first floor of The Boulder Dam Hotel. As guests we had free entry & were able to view all the exhibits. It is well set out & makes you aware of the harsh conditions that the workers & their families endured.

Love history so I have to stop here. Have a little museum (free entrance or they take donation) and highlights the life of workers who worked at Hoover Dam . Well kept hotel and very friendly staff. a must stop in boulder city.

Thought this would be a waste of time, but it wasn't. Small fee to get in. Get a passport to stamp on your way and to answer questions. Great displays and interactive. Kids would like it. We learned a lot too. What a great find!

My husband and I visited Las Vegas this past January (2016). We had rented a car specifically to visit the Hoover Dam. I had checked into the bus company to take us to Hoover Dam, one it was too expensive and two we like to take our time and explore. So we set off on a Monday afternoon, not know where to go it was a bit stressful but the help of a local gas station clerk we found the right path.
I'm from the Midwest, so seeing cliffs and red red desert was really neat. The ride out was awesome we stopped at three look out points and took some awesome pictures. Finally getting to the Hoover Dam, It looked like it was on lock down. Lots of security, and a long curvy road. Parking was easy to navigate.
Be prepared for lots of walking, we walked for a good mile to get to the dam. The walk across the dam was breath taking. This is something we will never forget. I was there as a kid and it's still the same but it is worth the trip. I can't wait to take my kids so they can experience this awesome structure. The tour is also the same. Although, I don't really remember it much as a kid. As we done with out tour, I experienced really bad vertigo. I never had vertigo before so freaked out just a little because it wouldn't go away. Plus I'm not very fond of heights.
On our way back we stopped at the bridge that over looks the dam. Standing 1200 foot over the Colorado river it was not something that I wanted to cross. But with a little motivation from my husband I did it. We made it half way, I hugged the wall but now can say I was 1200 feet up in the air.
Please experience the Hoover Dam l, it is something that should be on everyone's bucket list.

This was a very interesting visit. It is amazing how the technology we have, yet they were able to create this monstrosity 75 years ago. It is truly amazing.

I toured around this place by car & foot. Love the statue tributes to the families who lived there when the Dam was being built. I felt safe walking around by foot in the day & night by myself. There was also an AMAZING Christmas light display that could be seen off the main road. It takes this man 6 weeks to set up & it's breathtaking how many lights this man set up, w/ help of some neighbors, plus the cute working display of a chairlift w/ teddy bears in it, a couple moving carousels etc. It's a must see during the Christmas season.

Saw and shared this eighth wonder of mankinds engineering ability and dedication to hard work today. Five years after starting this mammoth project, it was finished including over 3.5 million cubic yards of cement, 96 lives , and A city given life(Las Vegas). A concept of Herbert Hoover as secretary of Commerce , the miracle was a phenomenal engineering success that will live in the desert foe Aeons , that's right folks . Take a look at it .....it's every bit as big a project as sending men inyto space or to the moon!

My kids love the exhibit in this museum that shows the making of the Hoover Dam. Such a fun, interactive museum about the history of Boulder City.

Well put together museum. Art gallery and gift shop as well. All on 2nd floor of the hotel. Easy to find and it’s free! Restroom on 1st floor.

The Boulder Dam Museum houses a unique history of the people who built Hoover Dam - Many of whom stayed to create this unique non gaming city.

The restaurant has the freshest and best breakfast in town! Lunch is a delight with a chicken pot pie to be outdone by none.

While in Boulder City visit the local antique shops and stop for an ice cream at Grandma Daisy's.

This outstanding museum with personal touch is located in Historic Boulder Dam Hotel. It may be relatively small in size but very informative and interesting. It manages to attractively present a lot of information and historical facts pertaining to Hoover Dam and people involved in the process of its construction. The exhibits are well organized and some are audiovisual. The custodian lady is passionate about local history and ready to answer questions if any. There is even a small but sufficient gift shop.
It seems to me many tourists could benefit from stopping at this museum before heading to Hoover Dam.

We love the Hoover Dam and this visit, we stumbled across the Boulder City Hoover Dam museum. Excellent! There are exhibits and a movie that provide more detail than the ones found at the Dam. A moderately priced gift shop makes it extra nice. This place is a hidden gem. For folks on a budget or with small children, this museum allows them to skip the cost of the Hoover Dam visitor’s center and pricey tours.

On our way to see Hoover Dam, we stopped in Boulder which is only a few miles from the dam. When we visited Area 52 and went inside, anyone who has watched X-files would be thrilled to go here! But the most interesting thing is the gal behind the counter used to work at the dam and started giving us the lowdown when asking directions to get there. She explained history, little known facts and some pretty interesting things we probably wouldn't have known unless we paid for a tour at the dam! We bought some shirts and other souvenirs, got a free pair of Alien Sunglasses and crossed the street right into another gem of a store that any tourist would love to check out!

Tucked away in the beautiful Boulder Dam hotel, the museum is a goldmine of information about the history of the Hoover Dam. It starts with a short film about the amazing feat of building the dam, and then takes you through so many artifacts and interesting stories. You are even given a quiz to complete as you go round, which is marked by one of the lovely volunteers. Very reasonable entrance fee and we really enjoyed it.

We stopped here after seeing the Hoover dam. It was a part of the viator.com tours & comedy on deck bus. It was nice to see all the history and that this hotel is still here.

When in Boulder city make sure you drive thru the buisness district. Go straight thru the light where everyone else turns left. The bonus other than seeing the best side of the city you will get an awesome overlook of lake mead before you turn back on the highway and you can stop and take a 📷

We drove around it and took some pictures,,,its very interesting to read about how it was built and the memorial they have there to honor the ones who lost their lives while building it was nice!

We stayed at the hotel for a night after visiting Hoover Dam, the hotel was vintage but very lovely and comfortable. We enjoyed our stay as well as the included breakfast in the morning. The museum had a great deal of information and was well worth the visit.

No fee, donations accepted, tells the story of how Boulder City started for the workers of Boulder Dam and the lives the families lived. There is a free self guided walking tour that starts outside the museum of the city.

Great way to learn a little about how/why the Boulder Dam (aka Hoover Dam) was created. Nice interactive things for the kiddies as well as adults. The short movie is informative for the adults, however the kids may start fidgeting. The Museum is located in a hotel - just walk up the stairs and to the left...some little art galleries as well.

This was fantastic.

We parked in parking garage and visited the visitor center. We purchased the whole dam tour. We joined the power plant tour for their part and the people who got the whole trip moved on up into the actual walls of the dam. I would have been disappointed if I missed the second part.

This is a definite must see. The engineering and education are priceless. Loved it!

To think they built this in the 20s and 30s is crazy. It is awesome!

After visiting the Hoover Dam we drove the short distance to Boulder City for lunch. After lunch we walked over to visit the small Hoover Dam Museum located in the historic Boulder City Hotel. This small museum is full of interesting information about the men who worked at the Hoover Dam and gives a real life account of how these men and their families lived in Boulder City. There is also an excellent 20 minute film! The entrance fee is $2 for adults and $1 for children/students. I highly recommend a visit to this wonderful museum!

Our greyhound bus tour to the Hoover Dam gave an enjoyable recording of boulder city history & pointed out numerous statues en route depicting the harsh living conditions. Old locomotives parked up on tracks added to the aged effect, also the oldest casino can be found here

We really enjoyed staying here. The hotel is so cute. They served an awesome breakfast which is included when you stay here. The staff was awesome and so polite and pleasant.

This museum within a hotel was one of our favorite stops. It was free with a donation box at the end of the exhibits.

Even though we went on the Power Plant tour at the Dam, we learned way more at this museum about the Dam. Of course we didn’t get into the Visitor Center at the Dam since they actually close at 4:15 and not 5pm as advertised.... but that’s another review.

Be sure to have the kids grab the little card to fill out as you step past the info about rag town. They are right across from the trunk with the wrenches. Our kids loved the card and filling in the blanks. They also liked using the embossing stamps 😊

They loved doing the crane and learning how the workers moved the concrete. There were lots of hands on things like old phones with firsthand stories being told when you picked it up, a switchboard to listen to more stories by actual workers and an old kitchen area with a meat grinder they found fascinating.

Ages 20-7 they all found something they liked and they all learned something.

Our kids enjoyed understanding the amount of planning and work that went into undertaking the task of diverting and then damming a river as unpredictable as the Colorado and the

We really enjoyed the film about building the dam. It was one of the most informative film that I have seen. It's hard to believe that they finished 2 years early.

After the full tour of the dam, I have to admit this was a bit of a let down. In its day, it was probably impressive. But today, with Google Earth and all, to look at a clay model, while listening to a 60's style narration --- didn't really cut it. And this is coming from the over 60 crowd. We're not millennials with great technological expectations. Perhaps if we'd gone there first? Nah-- still just fair to middling.

A must see to get the bigger picture on the construction of the Hoover Dam. Good place to start before heading to the attraction

Unfortunatly we arrived at the museum about a half hour before it was closing. As it's only $2 we went in anyways. I wish we had more time! Wonderful little museum on life in Boulder City when the dam was being built. A must see before or after a trip to the Dam! I would highly recommend and will go back and spend more time the next time we get out to Vegas.

This little treasure is housed in the original Boulder dam hotel. It is a self guided tour with a video, tgat takes about 15 minutes and us very informative. Plus there’s a great gift shop, super restaurant, an underground speakeasy, fireplace and hotel rooms.

I typically don't like spending valuable touring/shopping time in museums but this was the exception. There is lots of history here so plan on minimum of at least an hour. Staff is not only knowledgable and friendly but willing to answer any question. If you go here FIRST before town and Hoover Dam history will fall into place and will better appreciate all the surrounding area. Be sure to visit Art Gallery and check out Hotel Lobby also. Restaurant superb.

Very informative and we will visit the Dam tomorrow.The hotel is very nice and affordable not to mention historical.

Been there many time with my kids. They loved it. I actually like it as well. Love the hotel as well.

This hotel is well-kept, convenient and charming. It’s in the heart of the town and wishing walking distance (and I’m lazy) from pubs, shops and restaurants. The on-site museum about Hoover dam is a nice warm up before venturing to the actual dam. We stayed in the Howard Hughes suite, two adjoining rooms, and they met our needs perfectly. The Lobby is a great place to socialize. Finally, parking is free and convenient and a delicious breakfast is included in your room rate.

This is a small but enjoyable and informative museum on Hoover Dam. It has some interactive exhibits, the best being the one allowing visitors to control a miniature crane on cables for moving and dumping the concrete. It, of course, has no concrete, but you get to move it across the painting and diorama of the dam site, lower it where you want to dump it and pretend to dump, while using the controls in a mock control room. There's also a hunt for information, stations to get stamped for permission to be on site, reflecting the actual requirements, and plenty of information about life and work on the dam, the decision to build Boulder City instead of using the then-tiny Las Vegas as a base, etc. There's a small gift shop and it always seems to be very quiet with no crowds. It's also in the historic, attractive Boulder City Hotel, built at the time the city was established, and it's right downtown..

On your way to the dam, stop in a spend an hour finding out the fascinating history or Boulder City - very worthwhile.

This museum is located inside a historic hotel and tells the story of the building of the Hoover Dam. It gives background information which is useful when you visit the actual dam.

We did get free admission as guests of the hotel, but i would pay to see this museum. First you see a movie detailing life in Boulder City for workers and their families. Then you go through the museum at your own pace. There are instructional as well as interactive displays there.

We stayed at the Boulder Dam Hotel for 3 nights. The town of Boulder City is very quaint. We really liked the hotel - very good value and service. Ideal location to make day trips to Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and Papillon Helicopter and Plane Tours and the Grand Canyon.

I went on a Friday afternoon and there were plenty of visitors around. My boyfriend and I chose the Dam Tour which is 1hr and it takes you into the beginning of the power plant and through the inside of the dam. It starts off with a 12min video about the history. It's ingenious how they were able to build that dam during the depression. It was dangerous and required a lot of know-how. Our tour guide, Tom, was dry, sarcastic, but very funny and knowledgeable. Give yourself time before and after to view the Observatory, the bridge and to walk around the premises. Perfect trip for kids.

Excellent small museum by donation. Well worth the visit in this historic hotel. Wear a mask as the viewing area is small.

We had some time to kill so decided to take in the Hover Dam Museum. I is tucked away in the back of a quaint hotel . The museum id very informative. They give you a card with a dozen questions and 3 places to have stamped that are found throughout the museum. This made the experience much more enjoyable and made you experience a lot of the exhibits.

We took a bus from the resort and toured Boulder City and the Hoover Dam. This is a must see if you have never been to Las Vegas. The trip there was nice and our tour guide Allison Cox with Pink Jeep Tours was very knowledgeable of the area and gave us great info on the whole tour. She was the best DAM GUIDE we could expect.

A must if you do the Hoover Dam tour. Slightly interactive, more great information and history about the dam and the area.

We spent the day at the Dam, and thought we'd gotten it all. But the museum had a totally different take. Very happy we visited this place.

Lots of great information about Boulder city and the building of Hoover Dam. Donation only and is an inexpensive way to get a good sense of the history of Hoover Dam if you can’t get to Hoover Dam. It’s tucked away at the back of the hotel so don’t get sidetracked when you walk into the main doors and don’t see a museum

My recommendation is to see this museum before you go Hoover Dam. By doing this everything will come together once you see Hoover Dam. It will give you a better perspective. There are lots of information at this musuem on how the dam was built. The museum is free but donations are accepted. The layout is good at the museum.

Museum is located in an historic hotel. It tells the story of the building of Hoover Dam. More info about this subject than I ever needed to know, and it is free.

This was a great tour. We just did the power plant tour. We learned a lot about the dam. This would be a good tour to take your kids on. Do not go on this tour if you are claustrophobic.

Boulder City is a lovely place to visit after the lights of Las Vegas. Lots of interesting shops, including a fantastic antique shop. Lots good restaurants and very friendly pub called The Dillingers. Most buildings are single storey, Spanish style, easy drive from Las Vegas and to Hoover Dam. Has heritage hotel which we shall definitely stay in next time we are in the area. Also good views of Lake Mead from outskirts of town.