FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
L to R: Exterior of The Mob Museum; “Inside the Detroit Mafia” Program.
(Photos courtesy of The Mob Museum)
THE MOB MUSEUM ANNOUNCES ST. VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE TOMMY GUN EXHIBIT ADDITION, DETROIT MAFIA PROGRAM IN JULY
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LAS VEGAS (July 2025) – The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, announces the historic addition of one of the Thompson submachine guns used to commit the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre to the Museum’s existing third floor exhibit, in addition to its captivating public program in July, “Inside the Detroit Mafia: Revelations of a Former Mob Soldier.”
“Inside the Detroit Mafia: Revelations of a Former Mob Soldier”
Date: Tuesday, July 15
Time: 7 to 8 p.m.
Location: Inside the historic courtroom.
Cost: Free for Museum Members or with Museum admission. To RSVP to attend, click here. Description: In this exclusive, first-ever public appearance, former Mafia soldier Nove Tocco will tell the inside story of the rise and fall of the Detroit Mafia. For Nove, it was a family affair. Longtime boss Jack Tocco was his cousin. Underboss Anthony Zerilli was his uncle. While in college, Nove entered the family business, engaging in bookmaking, extortion and other crimes. After he was sentenced to 18 years in prison, he decided to become a government witness and testify against his cousin, marking the first time a Detroit Mafia member publicly turned on the crime family. Detroit crime historian Scott Burnstein will provide context and insights into Tocco’s story.
Speakers:
St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Tommy Gun Joins Prohibition Exhibit
Date: Wednesday, July 23
Time: Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Location: The Museum’s third floor.
Cost: Included with Museum admission. To view Museum admission prices, click here.
Description: The Mob Museum is pleased to debut a historic addition to its St. Valentine’s Day Massacre display, one of the Museum’s focal points which explores the role of organized crime’s impact on American society throughout the decade of Prohibition and the Massacre’s role as a tipping point. Accompanying the Massacre wall, ballistics evidence, victims’ coroner reports and the only firearm recovered from the scene of the crime – Frank Gusenberg’s Colt .38 Special Revolver – the Museum now features one of the Thompson submachine guns used in the infamous gangland slaying, which took place in Chicago on Feb. 14, 1929. On long-term loan from the Berrien County, Michigan, Sheriff’s Department, the gun was confiscated from the home of murder suspect Fred Burke, and subsequent ballistics testing by Dr. Calvin Goddard confirmed the gun was used in the Massacre. In years past, Berrien County officials have brought two Tommy guns used in the Massacre to Las Vegas for one-day presentations on the Museum’s anniversary. After years of partnering with the accredited, historic institution, the sheriff’s department has agreed to lend the Museum one of the guns for long-term display.
“National Syndicate” Exhibit Now Open
Date: Open daily.
Time: Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Location: The exhibit is located in the Tentacles Spread gallery on the Museum’s third floor.
Cost: Included with Museum admission. To view Museum admission prices, click here.
Description: The Museum’s brand-new “National Syndicate” exhibit explores the rise and national expansion of organized crime in the United States following Prohibition. Outlining the formation of the Five Families in New York and their alliances with Jewish mobsters, the exhibit examines the development of a national syndicate that reshaped the nation’s criminal underworld. Racketeers such as Arnold Rothstein, Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Stephanie St. Clair, in addition to many others, are featured. Artifacts on display include pistols belonging to Detroit law enforcement figures Detective William DeLisle and Officer Ben Turpin, highlighting how the national syndicate infiltrated cities across the U.S. and forced law enforcement agencies to take notice and respond. A striking 1967 Life Magazine illustration of the syndicate serves as the exhibit’s centerpiece, accompanied by a video featuring insights from Mob historian and Museum Advisory Council Member T.J. English. This exhibit was created with the generous support of Steven A. DeLisle and the DeLisle Family Trust.
“Art of the Mob: The LeRoy Neiman Portraits”
Date: On view daily
Time: The Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Location: Oscar B. Goodman Room on the third floor.
Cost: Included with Museum admission. To view Museum admission prices, click here.
Description: Now on view is the Museum’s latest temporary exhibition, “Art of the Mob: The LeRoy Neiman Portraits.” The Museum’s fine art exhibition, in partnership with the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, features 13 original portraits of infamous organized crime and eminent law enforcement figures created by legendary artist LeRoy Neiman, whose vibrant impressionistic works famously immortalized dramatic moments in sports, entertainment and American society.
ABOUT THE MOB MUSEUM
The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, provides a world-class journey through true stories—from the birth of the Mob to today’s headlines. The Mob Museum offers a provocative, contemporary look at these topics through hundreds of artifacts and immersive storylines. Numerous interactive exhibits include a Crime Lab, Firearm Training Simulator and Organized Crime Today exhibit. The Museum is also home to The Underground, a Prohibition history exhibition featuring a speakeasy and distillery. The Mob Museum has accumulated numerous accolades, including being named one of Tripadvisor’s “Top 25 U.S. Museums” and a 2024 “Travelers’ Choice” Award recipient; one of Las Vegas Weekly’s “Twenty Greatest Attractions in Las Vegas History” and “Best Museum” of 2021, 2023 and 2024; Vegas Magazine’s “Best Historical Museum” of 2024; one of National Geographic’s “Top 10 Things to Do in Las Vegas;” USA Today’s “Best Museum in Nevada,” 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards for “Best Las Vegas Attraction” in 2021 and 2022, “Top Five Best History Museums in the United States” in 2021 and one of its “12 Can’t Miss U.S. Museum Exhibits;” named “A Must for Travelers” by The New York Times and one of “20 Places Every American Should See” by FOX News. The Museum is a two-time winner of the Mayor’s Urban Design Award for Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The Museum is open daily; visit the website for admission rates and operating hours. For more information, call (702) 229-2734, visit themobmuseum.org, or download the Museum’s free mobile app.
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