18 Best Things to Do in Las Vegas
Aria Fine Art Collection
What’s this place all about?
An incredible collection of public works by 15 painters and sculptors, including Maya Lin, Jenny Holzer, Henry Moore, Claes Oldenburg, and Frank Stella, among others.
What’s it like being there?
This is a spirit-lifting walk through the first permanent collection to be integrated into a public space in Las Vegas. It's hard to comprehend the magnitude of the collection, since the art is spread around a series of public spaces.
Is there a guide involved?
The tour is self-guided, but placards provide information about the art and the artists. Before you start walking, download a map or get one from the concierge at one of the CityCenter hotels (like Aria).
Who comes here?
People who tour all 21 sites around the CityCenter campus are generally committed art aficionados. A visit is ideal for those who want to experience the cultural side of Las Vegas that many people don't bother to seek out.
Did it meet expectations?
Amazingly, there's not that much hype around this collection, but those who do take the tour will be rewarded with monumental public works by some of the most important modern and contemporary artists. They'll also get a complete tour of CityCenter, which includes Aria, Veer Towers, Crystals at CityCenter, and Vdara.
How much time should we block out for this?
It's a free, self-directed walk, so the tour takes as long as you want it to. (And you can skip around or just seek out the pieces you're most interested in.)
You might have come for the casinos, but you should stay for the everything else.
Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler
