“The Lost City Pageants were a pivotal moment in bringing attention to the rich archaeological history of the Moapa Valley,” said Museum Director Tracey Sprague.
The Lost City Museum in Overton will debut the exhibition “A Century of Lost City” with an opening event on Saturday, April 11, from 1-3 p.m. The exhibit is part of America250 Nevada, the statewide commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The exhibition explores the Lost City Pageants of 1925 and 1926, which captured public curiosity and drew attention to the archaeological discoveries unfolding in Southern Nevada’s Moapa Valley. These early community events helped inspire the creation of Boulder Dam Park Museum, now The Lost City Museum, in 1935.
“The Lost City Pageants were a pivotal moment in bringing attention to the rich archaeological history of the Moapa Valley,” said Museum Director Tracey Sprague. “Now 100 years later, this exhibition allows us to reflect on how community interest and storytelling helped shape the preservation of these important cultural resources and how that legacy continues today.”
Developed as a way to showcase the region’s archaeological significance, the pageants played a key role in preserving the history of the ancestral Puebloan peoples who lived in the area nearly 1,000 years ago.
Through photographs, artifacts and storytelling, “A Century of Lost City” reflects on the museum’s origins and highlights how community engagement shaped the preservation of Southern Nevada’s cultural heritage. The exhibit also underscores the museum’s mission to protect and interpret the area’s archaeological resources.
The museum was created to house artifacts recovered from Puebloan archaeological sites threatened by the construction of Hoover Dam. Today the museum features indoor galleries and reconstructed pueblo structures, offering visitors a glimpse into the lives of the Puebloan peoples in the Moapa Valley.
The April 11 event includes a lecture and exhibit preview. Admission is $8 for adults ages 18 and older and free for children 17 and younger and museum members (which is the regular pricing). The museum is located at 721 S. Moapa Valley Blvd. in Overton. Hours: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays; closed Mondays. More: LostCityMuseum.org
