Free admission to museums, half-price train rides kick off Discover Nevada campaign

By Cy Ryan

Wednesday, July 3, 2013 | 4:11 p.m.

There will be free admission to the state museums this Saturday and again on July 12 as the Discover Nevada campaign kicks off.

The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City also will be offering half-price train rides on Saturday.

At a news conference at the railroad museum in Carson City, Gov. Brian Sandoval urged residents “to just go out and discover Nevada,” not only in its museums but also at its 24 state parks.

He and Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki arrived at the event in a car — built in 1882 — pulled by a steam engine built in 1905 and used in many movies.

The Legislature approved the recommendations of Sandoval to restore hefty cuts made to the budget of the museums during the recession. The museums will now be open either five or seven days a week.

The galleries at the Nevada State Museum in Las Vegas will be open Thursday through Monday and the research library will operate Thursday through Saturday, with access to the Las Vegas Springs Preserve.

The Lost City Museum in Overton will operate seven days a week.

This is all a prelude to the 150th anniversary of Nevada being admitted to the Union. Krolicki, who is heading the committee to plan the celebration, said there will be 150 events starting this Nevada Day, Oct. 25, and ending a year later on the state’s birthday.