Newsroom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWSBYTE

L to R: Thompson Submachine Gun used in St. Valentine’s Day Massacre; St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Wall.
(Photos courtesy of The Mob Museum)

HISTORIC TOMMY GUN FROM ST. VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE ADDED TO MOB MUSEUM EXHIBIT

For downloadable photos, click here

LAS VEGAS (July 2025) – The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, announces a new display showcasing one of the Thompson submachine guns used in the most horrific act of violence in Mob history, the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre on Feb. 14, 1929. On that fateful Prohibition-era day, members and associates of Chicago’s George “Bugs” Moran’s bootlegging gang were lined up against a wall and shot dead inside a garage at 2122 North Clark Street. Al Capone’s Chicago Outfit was widely suspected of ordering the hit, but no one was ever prosecuted. 

Joining the Museum’s collection of Massacre artifacts, including the garage’s brick wall – recovered by businessman George Patey in 1967 – in addition to coroner’s reports, ballistics evidence and the only firearm found at the scene of the Massacre, the Thompson submachine gun goes on view on Wednesday, July 23. As a turning point in American history, the exhibit and new artifact underscore the Museum’s mission to advance the public understanding of organized crime’s history and impact on the nation, through a responsible and historically accurate assessment of the complex social, political and criminal dynamics of the Prohibition era.

On long-term loan from the Berrien County, Michigan, Sheriff’s Department, the weapon was one of two Tommy guns recovered from the home of murder suspect and Al Capone associate Fred “Killer” Burke. Ballistics testing conducted by forensic science pioneer Dr. Calvin Goddard matched the weapons to bullets found at the Chicago crime scene, confirming their role in the massacre that shocked the nation, and intensified efforts to combat organized crime, while acting as a tipping point, encouraging the reversal of Prohibition.

“While the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre remains one of the darkest chapters in organized crime history, this new addition to the exhibit is designed to educate the public about its lasting consequences and the historical efforts to confront violence,” said Geoff Schumacher, vice president of exhibits and programs, The Mob Museum. 

Previously, Berrien County officials brought both Tommy guns to Las Vegas for single-day displays on the Museum’s past anniversaries. With the launch of this new exhibit, one of the guns is now available for the public to view on an ongoing basis.

The Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission includes access to this new artifact. To book tickets, click here.

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. 

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
www.Facebook.com/themobmuseum
www.Twitter.com/themobmuseum
www.Instagram.com/themobmuseum

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Erika Pope/Vanessa Thill
The Vox Agency
erika@thevoxagency.com, vanessa@thevoxagency.com
(702) 249-2977, (469) 226-4723

#     #     #