The Erotic Heritage Museum (EHM) is a space with dedicated to the history of
erotica
Erotica is literature or art that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing. Some critics regard pornography as a type of erotica, but many consider it to be different. Erotic art may use a ...
, located in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
. The grand patron of the museum is
Harry Mohney
Harry Mohney (born May 30, 1943) is the founder of Déjà Vu, a U.S. company which (as of 2006) owns about 132 strip clubs and numerous other adult businesses in 41 U.S. states, as well as multiple clubs abroad. For a period of time, he was the ...
, founder of
Déjà Vu
''Déjà vu'' ( , ; "already seen") is a French loanword for the phenomenon of feeling as though one has lived through the present situation before.Schnider, Armin. (2008). ''The Confabulating Mind: How the Brain Creates Reality''. Oxford Unive ...
.
An educational, performance and exhibit space, The Erotic Heritage Museum also houses a lobby selling various retail items and hosts readings, symposiums and 'meet and greets' of notables in the world of sexual education and art.
History
The museum opened on August 2, 2008,
ceased operations for a brief restructuring on February 19, 2014, and reopened on June 7, 2014, as Harry Mohney's Erotica Museum. The museum is managed by Harry Mohney Erotic Museum LLC, a Nevada corporation.
Collection
The Harry Mohney Erotic Museum's sole purpose is to perform educational, scientific and literary functions relating to sexual, emotional, mental and physical health. Historical and contemporary erotic materials donated to the Harry Mohney Erotic Museum may be sold by the artist or collection holder, or made available on loan from individual artists for viewing in accordance with federal law.
The museum seeks to bridge the gap between that which is commercial and often misidentified as pornographic, with that which is aesthetic, often identified as folk, pop, and fine art. In keeping with the legacy of the American
sexual revolution
The sexual revolution, also known as the sexual liberation, was a social movement that challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality and interpersonal relationships throughout the United States and the developed world from the 1 ...
, the EHM is dedicated to the belief that sexual pleasure and fun are natural aspects of the human experience, that such pleasure should be made available to all, and that our individual sexuality belongs to each of us.
The Erotic Heritage Museum features the following displays:
:The Garden of Earthly Delights
:Academic reviews of Human Sexuality Studies
:Erotically themed photographs, sketches, paintings
:Wall of Shame: Articles about Political, Religious or Celebrity Personalities Connected to Scandals
:Jay Losofsky Sculptures
:The Jewel Box Theater
:The Paris Theater
:Sex Work in Nevada Exhibit featuring Chicken Ranch artifacts
:The Sex in the Future Exhibit featuring an AI Robot
:The Star Wars Exhibit
:Sex in Space Immersive Exhibit
:The Evolution of Human Sexuality Exhibit
:The Mel Gordon Horizontal Collaboration Exhibit
:Legba and the Fon People of Benin Africa Exhibit
:Sex and the Media Video Room Exhibit
:The Sex in the Third Reich Exhibit
:The Teacher Scandals Exhibit
:The History of the Peep Show Exhibit
:The LGBTIQ Gallery
:The Fithian Collection
:Historic artifacts
:Porcelain figurines
:Erotic Sculptures
:Artist of the Month Gallery
:Rotating Exhibits
The second floor is mainly devoted to erotic art, some of it available for sale. The presented pieces range from classic to abstract and include paintings, sketches, watercolors, porcelain figurines, sculptures, and carved wood objects.
References
External links
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{{LV museums
History museums in Nevada
Sex museums in the United States
Museums in the Las Vegas Valley