FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
L to R: Al Capone’s “Sweetheart” Colt 1911 .45-Caliber Semiautomatic Pistol; Exhibit Rendering.
(Photos courtesy of The Mob Museum)
THE MOB MUSEUM ANNOUNCES UNVEILING OF “THE FIRST PUBLIC ENEMY” FEATURING AL CAPONE’S “SWEETHEART” PISTOL, RARE HOME VIDEO
First ever permanent public display of notorious mobster’s beloved firearm and home movie
For downloadable photos, click here
LAS VEGAS (January 2025) – The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, announces the unveiling of an extraordinary new permanent exhibit, “The First Public Enemy,” which explores the life and criminal empire of Al Capone. Now on display are one-of-a-kind artifacts each providing a glimpse into Capone’s personal and public life, including his Colt 1911 .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol — nicknamed “Sweetheart” — and a rare home movie from 1929.
At the center of “The First Public Enemy” is Capone’s “Sweetheart” pistol, displayed publicly for the first time in history. The firearm, authenticated by the Office of the Colt Historian as a Colt 1911 manufactured in 1912, described by the family to have been referred to as “Sweetheart” by Capone for being his favorite firearm and for saving his life on multiple occasions. Originally left to Al Capone’s wife, Mae, it was next passed to their son, Albert “Sonny” Capone. Sonny, an avid marksman and competition shooter, made modifications to the firearm. After Sonny’s death in 2004, the pistol came into the possession of his daughters Diane and Barbara. Capone’s pistol was later sold at a 2021 auction, marking the first time the firearm left the Capone family. Underscoring its rarity and significance, the pistol sold in the 2021 auction for $1 million and in 2024 had pre-auction bids reaching $825,000. The pistol was made available to the Museum through the considerable generosity of a private contributor who expressed a strong desire that the historic firearm be accessible to the public via the Las Vegas nonprofit institution. Additional support for the acquisition came from the Stanley W. Ekstrom Foundation.
Accompanying the pistol is a home movie filmed in the spring of 1929 at Capone’s Miami Beach mansion. Shot by Capone on 16mm film, the footage offers rare and candid scenes of Charles “Lucky” Luciano and Frank Costello—two of the most prominent American mob bosses of the era—spending time in Capone’s swimming pool and aboard a boat. With Capone’s family keeping the original film reel under wraps for more than 90 years, the footage has been shown publicly just once during the Museum’s 11th anniversary. It remains an extraordinary artifact believed to have been filmed entirely by Capone himself, according to his granddaughters.
Coinciding with America’s Prohibition Era, Al Capone’s nefarious activities included bootlegging, gambling and a host of other illicit rackets, all of which were marked by profound violence, exemplified by the 1929 St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Inside the new exhibit, positioned between the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre wall and ballistics evidence and the Tax Evaders display on Capone’s prosecution, visitors will learn about Capone’s 1930 designation as Public Enemy Number One.
“Al Capone’s story exemplifies the depths of corruption and extreme violence that defined organized crime during its heyday,” said Geoff Schumacher, vice president of exhibits and programs at The Mob Museum. “These artifacts serve as a tangible link to the man whose criminal empire thrived on bribery, intimidation, and ruthless ambition. By adding this piece to our collection, we further illuminate the darker side of Capone’s legacy and its lasting impact on American society.”
“The First Public Enemy” is now open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is included with Museum admission. For more information or to purchase tickets to The Mob Museum, 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.
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Adrianne
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