Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art

It’s strange to think that, among all of the nightclubs and slot machines in Las Vegas, there is artwork by big names such as Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

Situated right in the heart of the Bellagio, one of the classiest resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art (BGFA) is a gentle reminder that there is culture in Sin City. In fact, the gallery, which has been around for several years, is especially popular with locals, many of whom become members so they can catch new exhibits throughout the year.

The gallery isn’t a museum per se as there are no permanent collections. Rather, the BGFA compiles exhibits based on particular themes, and then shows (usually two or three each year) are organized in partnership with museums and foundations from around the world. This results in diverse, comprehensive and high-quality exhibits that frequently impress even the most astute art enthusiast.

The exhibition space at the BGFA is a single room, which may seem small at first glance, but due to the thoughtfulness of the layout and thoroughness of each collection, it can take a couple hours to fully appreciate the work in the space. If it was larger, most people would find the exhibition to be too overwhelming.

One of best ways to get the most out of your visit to the BFGA is to utilize the audio tour, which is given to each guest free of charge upon entering the gallery. Different portions of the exhibit are numbered, and this corresponds with audio information uploaded onto each headset. The audio tour provides background information about the styles, subjects and influences of the art. The concepts on the audio tour are explained in a way that even those unfamiliar with art can appreciate and understand what they are looking at.

Once a month the gallery hosts an “art and wine” event, which combines the two for a more pleasurable evening.

The BGFA is open Sunday-Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. General admission is $15.00, Nevada residents and seniors are $12.00, and students, teachers and military personnel are $10.00. On Wednesday night from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., locals pay $8.00 with a Nevada ID.

Photo credit: MGM