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Guggenheim Las Vegas

Hey! This week I want to tell you about the coolest 45 minutes you will ever spend in a museum.

Not like there are too many in Vegas, but the Guggenheim Las Vegas at the Venetian hotel does do Vegas proud. And its inaugaral exhibit, "the Art of Motorcycle Building", is awesome. I have only been on a motorcycle once, so I'm not a gearhead or anything; but you have to admit that motorcycles, and the people who ride them, are cool. And that is really what this exhibit is all about.

At the very front of the museum, which is at the back of the Venetian hotel, are two motorcycles. One is the very first ever (from 1868), which by the way, is basically a bicycle with a steam engine attached and a high speed of 19 mph; the other's a sleek, modern motorcycle capable of 170 mph.

The exhibit then proceeds to take us through a journey that spans two huge floors that bridge the gap and shows the evolution of the motorcycle from 1868 to 2002.

"The Art of the Motorcycle" is laid out in time periods:

The first is 1894-1919, where one of the first ever Harley Davidson sits (there are only five of these motorcycles in existence today). What is remarkable is that these machines are painted and polished as if they were brand new.

In the 1922-1929 section, there is a motorcycle that seats a family of 6!

And in the 1930-1944 section, there are motorcycles that were used by both the Allies and the Germans in World War II.

In the 1946-1958 and 1960-1969 sections, a hugh picture of James Dean, one of the most famous bikeriders ever, hangs on the wall, and the first Honda bike ever made is also there. They even had the motorcycle from the movie "Easy Rider" - that's right, the Captain America Harley Davidson E.R. Chopper, complete with American flag helmet and all!

Downstairs are the modern bikes, including racing bikes sponsored by Marlboro and Playboy, as well as pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2 and Pam Anderson on a motorcycle as well.

The great thing about this exhibit is that it helps you realize the role of motorcycles in society and culture as well as how the prevailing society and culture shaped motorcycles. Oh, and by the way, the bikes are pretty cool, too.

Tune in next time as we begin our six-week segment on the perfect Saturday night in Las Vegas. We're gonna talk about everything from pre-party to the morning after. So stay tuned. Until then, later!