The Mob Museum Unveils Redesigned “The Mob In Pop Culture” Exhibition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson-Worn Suits from “Pulp Fiction” Displayed on Hyper-Realistic Figures; Museum Theater Seating with “Godfather” and “Casino” Artifacts and Imagery.
(Photos courtesy of The Mob Museum)

THE MOB MUSEUM UNVEILS REDESIGNED
“THE MOB IN POP CULTURE” EXHIBITION, NEW ARTIFACTS INCLUDING ICONIC PULP FICTION COSTUMES

Exhibition Dedicated to Organized Crime in Film, TV, Music, Books, Public Psyche
For downloadable photos, click here

LAS VEGAS (October 2024) – The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, unveils its newly redesigned exhibition, “The Mob in Pop Culture.” Now on view, integrated throughout the first floor’s retail store, the exhibit features a host of new artifacts, costumes and images examining the influence of organized crime on American popular culture. Among artifacts from TV shows and movies, including “The Godfather,” “Casino,” “The Sopranos,” “Breaking Bad” and more, the Museum has debuted two cast-worn costume suits from Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 crime film “Pulp Fiction” just prior to the film’s 30^th anniversary on Monday, Oct. 14.

“Pulp Fiction” was the first independent film to surpass $100 million at the box office, taking in nearly $213 million worldwide. The film, now a cult classic, is best known for its memorable one-liners, non-linear storytelling and Oscar-nominated performances. The two artifacts – Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta-worn suits – are strikingly displayed on hyper-realistic, custom-made figures of their characters Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega. The figures, posed in the characters’ classic hitman stance, were created by renowned Hollywood special effects artist Jordu Schell. The suits are accompanied by Samuel L. Jackson’s own film script and a prop fight poster for the Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) vs. Floyd Wilson (Carl Allen) fight depicted in the film.

“These portrayals of organized crime in popular media over the last century have not only captivated audiences worldwide but also profoundly shaped the public’s perception of the Mob and its key figures,” said Geoff Schumacher, vice president of exhibits and programs, The Mob Museum. “By juxtaposing these pop culture representations with our other exhibitions, which explore the true stories behind organized crime and its impact on society, we aim to provide a comprehensive and engaging look at the enduring fascination with the Mob.”

Also available in the exhibition is new theater seating where guests are welcome to enjoy a short film featuring American author, screenwriter and film producer Nicholas Pileggi. In the film, Pileggi details America’s appetite for Mob movies and their popularity over the last hundred years. He also shares an almost unbelievable anecdote about the Costa Rica scene in the film “Casino.”

Additional new artifacts joining the Museum’s collection of scripts and other props from movies such as “Casino” and “The Godfather” and television shows like “Breaking Bad” and “The Sopranos” also include:

• “The Sopranos” Blank-Fire Prop Pistol – Steven Van Zandt – who played Silvio Dante, Tony Soprano’s consigliere – used this Smith & Wesson blank-fire prop pistol in the Season 2 finale “Funhouse.”
• “The Godfather Part II” Prop Revolver – Robert De Niro, playing a young Vito Corleone, used this prop revolver in a scene where Vito kills Black Hand extortionist Don Fanucci.
• “The Untouchables” Prop Tommy Gun – Sean Connery, who plays Chicago police officer Jimmy Malone, used this Tommy gun prop during the filming of “The Untouchables.”
• “Gangs of New York” Prop Knife – Bill the Butcher, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, frequently uses throwing knives throughout the film, including a confrontation with Amsterdam where Billy pins him down and beats him with his own forehead. This is one of the throwing knife props used by Daniel Day-Lewis.
• TIME Magazines – Four unique covers showcase organized crime figures and entities, including Al Capone, Frank Costello, John Gotti and “The Mafia.”
• Mafioso Rap CDs – References to the Mob occur in a wide variety of popular music genres, but hip hop contains the most. The trend of name-dropping mobsters originated in the late 1980s when Kool G Rap and DJ Polo developed a hip-hop subgenre called “mafioso rap.” CDs on display include Kool G Rap’s “4, 5, 6,” Tupac Shakur’s “All Eyez on Me,” Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt and The Fugee’s The Score.
• Tommy James and the Shondells Records – The rock band Tommy James and the Shondells was known for smash hits such as “Crystal Blue Persuasion,” “Crimson and Clover” and “Mony Mony.” Their first single, “Hanky Panky,” topped the charts in 1966 after they signed with Roulette Records, a record label with ties to New York’s Genovese crime family.
• “Goodfellas” Zippo Lighter – This lighter was used by Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) during the diner scene toward the end of the movie in which he realizes Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) is trying to have him killed after the Lufthansa heist.
• DEA Agent Steve Murphy’s “Narcos” Script – Steve Murphy’s copy of the script for the first episode of the Netflix series Narcos. Accompanying photos depict Steve Murphy and Javier Pena alongside the actors who played them, Boyd Holbrook and Pedro Pascal.

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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