Springs Preserve is a 180-acre desert cultural and botanical site about 3 miles west of downtown Las Vegas, built on the natural spring that first gave the city its water. It combines botanical gardens, museums, trails, and the Nevada State Museum on one campus. General admission runs about $18.95 for adult visitors, and it is open Thursday through Monday, 9am to 4pm.
Most people come to Las Vegas for the neon, but Springs Preserve is where the city actually began. This is the site of the original springs, the water source that made a settlement in the Mojave possible and gave “Las Vegas” (the meadows) its name. Today it is a sprawling green campus of gardens, walking trails, interactive museums, and live-animal exhibits, all a short drive from the Strip yet a world away from it.
For families, garden lovers, and anyone who wants a break from casinos and crowds, it is one of the best value outings in the valley. You get botanical displays, desert wildlife, hands-on history, and the Nevada State Museum, which sits right on the same grounds and shares an admission. It is quiet, shaded in parts, genuinely educational, and easy to spend half a day exploring.
This guide covers current admission prices, the Nevada State Museum combo, opening hours, what to see, and how to get there from the Strip or downtown.
Top Tickets
# Springs Preserve Admission Ticket
# Springs Preserve & Nevada State Museum Ticket
Table of Contents
Where to Buy Tickets & How They Work
Admission to Springs Preserve covers the botanical gardens, the outdoor natural areas, the Origen Museum, and the trails. The Nevada State Museum stands on the same campus, and there is a combined ticket that bundles both, which is the smart pick if you want the full site in one visit. Buying online ahead of time locks in your date and lets you skip the ticket line, which matters on weekends and during spring bloom when the gardens are busiest. Both pre-tracked options below let you book before you travel.
Springs Preserve Admission Ticket
This is the standard general-admission ticket, giving you access to the botanical gardens, the outdoor natural areas and trails, the Origen Museum exhibits, and the live-animal habitats. It is the easiest way in if the gardens, wildlife, and history displays are your main interest.
Price: From about $18.95 for an adult visitor; children ages 3 to 17 are around $10.95 and seniors 65 and over about $17.95. Nevada residents pay less (roughly $9.95 adult), and kids 2 and under are free.
Springs Preserve & Nevada State Museum Ticket
This combined ticket adds the Nevada State Museum, which sits on the Springs Preserve campus and traces the natural and cultural history of southern Nevada, from Ice Age fossils and Native American artifacts to atomic-era and Rat Pack-era Las Vegas. Because the two attractions share the grounds, seeing both on one ticket is the best-value way to experience the whole site.
Price: About $18.95 for an adult, with the same reduced rates for children, seniors, and Nevada residents. A single museum admission already includes access to the Springs Preserve gardens and outdoor areas, so one ticket effectively covers the entire campus.
Springs Preserve Opening Hours
Springs Preserve is open Thursday through Monday from 9am to 4pm, and closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Members can enter the outdoor natural areas early at 8am. The Nevada State Museum on the same campus keeps the same Thursday-to-Monday, 9am-to-4pm schedule. Hours can shift on holidays, so confirm before you go.
The five-day schedule catches some visitors off guard, so plan around the Tuesday and Wednesday closures. Because the site is largely outdoors, morning is the most comfortable window, especially in summer when midday heat in the Mojave is intense. Aim to arrive close to the 9am opening to walk the gardens and trails before the sun climbs.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit is a cooler-season morning, roughly October through April, when the desert gardens are pleasant to walk and the trails are comfortable. Spring brings the fullest bloom. In summer, come right at 9am opening to beat the heat, and expect afternoons well over 100F.
Because so much of Springs Preserve is outdoor gardens and trails, the weather shapes the experience more than crowds do. Fall, winter, and spring mornings are ideal, with mild temperatures and cactus and wildflower color in spring. If you are visiting in the peak of summer, treat it like any Mojave outing: go early, carry water, and use the shaded indoor museums during the hottest part of the day. Nature lovers who enjoy this kind of desert setting often pair it with a trip to Red Rock Canyon or Valley of Fire nearby.
How Long Does a Visit Take?
How long you stay depends on how much you want to cover. If you are just walking the botanical gardens and the main museum, two hours is plenty. If you want the full campus, including the trails through the outdoor natural areas, the butterfly habitat when it is open, and the Nevada State Museum, budget closer to four hours. There is a cafe on site, so you can break for lunch without leaving.
What to See & What to Expect
Expect botanical gardens, desert nature trails, live-animal exhibits, and two museums on one 180-acre campus. Highlights include the Origen Museum’s hands-on natural-history galleries, the extensive Botanical Gardens, walking trails through the historic spring site, and the Nevada State Museum’s fossils and Las Vegas history.
The Botanical Gardens
The gardens are the heart of Springs Preserve, showcasing eight acres of desert-adapted plants, cactus collections, and demonstration landscapes that show how to garden beautifully with little water. Shaded paths, seasonal blooms, and quiet corners make this the most relaxing part of the site.
The Origen Museum
Origen is the main interpretive museum, with interactive exhibits on the Mojave’s geology, wildlife, and human history, plus the story of the springs themselves. A flash-flood simulator and live-animal displays make it a hit with kids, and it is the best place to understand why this spot mattered to the city.
Outdoor Trails and Natural Areas
More than two miles of trails wind through the restored desert wetland and natural areas around the original springs. Interpretive signs explain the ecology and the site’s role in Las Vegas history, and the elevated boardwalks give you a genuine feel for the Mojave landscape.
The Nevada State Museum
Sharing the campus, the Nevada State Museum covers southern Nevada from prehistoric fossils, including a Columbian mammoth, through Native American cultures to the atomic age and the rise of the Strip. It pairs neatly with the city-history museums downtown like the Mob Museum and the Neon Museum.
Is Springs Preserve Worth It?
Yes, for most visitors it is worth it. Springs Preserve delivers gardens, trails, wildlife, and two museums for well under $20, making it one of the best-value and most peaceful outings in Las Vegas. The main caveats are the summer heat and the Tuesday-Wednesday closures, both easy to plan around.
If you want something calm, green, and educational away from the casino floor, few places in the city do it better. It is especially strong for families, garden and nature fans, and anyone curious about the real history beneath the neon. The honest downsides are practical: it is hot and exposed in summer, and it is closed two days a week. Time your visit to a cooler morning and you will get a genuinely restful, worthwhile few hours.
Things to Know Before You Go
- The site is closed Tuesday and Wednesday; it runs Thursday through Monday, 9am to 4pm.
- Much of the campus is outdoors, so wear sun protection, comfortable shoes, and carry water, especially in summer.
- The Nevada State Museum shares the grounds and one admission effectively covers the whole campus, so consider the combined ticket.
- There is a cafe on site and free parking, making it easy to stay for a half-day.
- Nevada residents and seniors get significantly reduced rates, so bring ID if you qualify.
How to Get to Springs Preserve
Springs Preserve is at 333 South Valley View Boulevard, about 3 miles west of downtown Las Vegas and roughly 15 minutes by car from the center of the Strip. The simplest way to reach it is by rideshare or rental car; there is a large free parking lot on site, which is a welcome change from the paid resort garages along the Las Vegas Strip.
Public transit is possible but slower: RTC buses run along nearby corridors, though most Strip visitors find rideshare far more convenient for the short hop. It is about a 15 to 20 minute drive from Harry Reid International Airport (LAS). If you are building a low-key, culture-and-nature day, Springs Preserve pairs well with the Las Vegas Natural History Museum and the Atomic Museum, all of which sit off the Strip and away from the crowds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is admission to Springs Preserve in 2026?
General admission is about $18.95 for adult visitors, roughly $10.95 for children ages 3 to 17, and about $17.95 for seniors 65 and over. Nevada residents pay reduced rates (around $9.95 for adults), and children 2 and under are free. The Nevada State Museum combo is priced similarly.
What are Springs Preserve’s opening hours?
Springs Preserve is open Thursday through Monday from 9am to 4pm and is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Members can enter the outdoor natural areas early at 8am. Hours may change on major holidays, so check ahead.
Is the Nevada State Museum included with Springs Preserve?
The Nevada State Museum sits on the Springs Preserve campus, and a museum admission includes access to the Springs Preserve gardens and outdoor areas. A combined ticket lets you experience both attractions on one visit for the best value.
How long should I spend at Springs Preserve?
Plan on two to four hours. Two hours covers the gardens and the Origen Museum; a full half-day lets you add the Nevada State Museum, the trails, and the live-animal exhibits. Families with young children often stay longer.
Is Springs Preserve good for kids?
Yes. The interactive Origen Museum exhibits, the flash-flood simulator, live-animal displays, play areas, and open trails make it very family-friendly, and it is a welcome break from the adult-focused Strip.
How do I get to Springs Preserve from the Strip?
It is about 3 miles from downtown and roughly 15 minutes by car from the Strip. Rideshare or a rental car is easiest, and there is free on-site parking. Public buses serve nearby corridors but take longer.
Is there food at Springs Preserve?
Yes, there is a cafe on the campus, so you can break for lunch or a drink without leaving the site, which makes it easy to stay for a longer visit.
