The Las Vegas Springs Preserve, located near downtown Vegas, is a great destination for families, school groups and those interested in natural and cultural history. The preserve is more like several Las Vegas parks in one location, and houses the Desert Living Center, Origen Museum, Nevada State Museum, and numerous trails and gardens. Visitors can explore several miles of trails and archeology sites or hide from Nevada heat while perusing indoor exhibits like the live raptor show.

All of the buildings on the Las Vegas Springs Preserve site were created with sustainability in mind. In addition to providing area residents with education and entertainment, the buildings provide the preserve with much of the water and power it needs for daily operation. The preserve features almost 150,000 square feet of buildings designed to meet LEED requirements for sustainability. In addition to exhibits and workshops, the buildings house educational seminars on clean living, recycling and other eco-friendly topics.

Many of the structures in the Las Vegas parks located on the preserve do double duty. For example, over 2,000 solar panel arrays are arranged to provide covered parking and power simultaneously. Visitors benefit from shade that keeps vehicles somewhat cool while the buildings they enter derive about 75% from their power from the parking lot.

The 180 acres of the Las Vegas Springs Preserve are considered a historic site. Numerous archeology digs have been conducted in the area, and fossil records date back to ancient eras. Visitors can see exhibits detailing area history from 9,000 BC to the present. Kids will also enjoy dinosaur displays.

There are many casinos and hotels near the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, making it easy to incorporate the site into a Vegas vacation. Some the closest hotels include Palace Station on West Sahara Avenue and the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino on Freemont Street. Nearby non-casino hotels include the Claremont Hotel on Westwood Drive and the Artisan Hotel on West Sahara Avenue. Nearby chain options include Howard Johnson, Hilton and Best Western.