Over time the neon signs of Las Vegas have earned recognition beyond those of any other city, said Bill Marion, the chairman of the museum’s board. This may explain why the museum’s collection has drawn 20,000 visitors a year by appointment only, plus countless photo and film shoots, even before it officially opened.

Mr. Marion said the museum would “get people to rethink what Las Vegas is, and recognize that it has made a significant cultural impact worldwide.” He estimated that attendance would reach 55,000 within a year.

Mr. Leming, who retired last year, worked on signs for many of the hotels and casinos on display, including the Stardust, the Barbary Coast and the Frontier. He said that the museum was “way overdue,” and that he had been trying for 20 years to gain support for preserving the signs as many Las Vegas properties were renovated or demolished. “ ‘If you’re going to knock it down, let’s save it,’ I would tell them,” Mr. Leming said.