The Haunted Liberace Museum

Posted: 02.17.2025 | Updated: 02.17.2025

This haunting of a museum in Nevada has become a legend. We’re pretty sure you know the identity of this particular ghost, and we’re also sure that you’d agree that this story is quintessentially about Las Vegas. 

In the city of glitz, glamour, gambling, and more, everyone knows that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. And that, some say, also applies to the many ghosts that call Sin City home. 

The ghost in this story who calls Vegas home belongs to one particular building (though its address has changed multiple times): the Liberace Museum. And, yes, it’s referring to Liberace. The international superstar has been dead for decades, but his name remains one of the most energetic, flamboyant, and talented entertainers Las Vegas has ever seen. 

Keep reading on to learn just who haunts this museum, what people have reported seeing here, and about the life of Liberace himself. After you’re done, we’re sure you’ll want to learn even more about haunted Nevada. The best way to do that is by booking an in-person ghost tour with us at Las Vegas Ghosts. 

Is the Liberace Museum Haunted?

Vegas is a place where strange things happen, so anytime a building stands out as having a particularly haunted reputation, people tend to take notice. From mysterious figures appearing in the shadows to objects missing and being rearranged, whatever is going on in the Liberace Museum is certainly mysterious!

Museum History

While he became legendary as Liberace, the pop star was born as Wladiziu Valentino Liberace to a poor family and humble beginnings. However, his greatness was evident from a young age.

At age 4, he learned to play the piano. By age 7, he was mastering complex pieces in recitals. and would tour with professionals just a couple of years later. Eventually, he would evolve his classical music repertoire by interjecting some pop sounds into his songs. 

It caught on, and he soon became the world’s most famous musician, headlining the Liberace Show in 1950 and having a number of top-selling records. His icon status would soon extend to Vegas, too, as his residency there was one of the city’s most famous. Liberace’s crazy costumes, wicked skill, and ludicrously expensive set pieces earned him the name “Mr. Showmanship.”

His storied career would end in 1987 after his death at age 67. Vegas wouldn’t forget their Mr. Showmanship and erected the Liberace Museum in 1976, thanks to a dedicated team of curators, collectors, and even a four million dollar endowment from Liberace’s own donation. 

The museum featured several costumes, vehicles, instruments, and other props. It famously hosted a “Liberace Play-A-Like” contest, with fans doing their best to look and sound like The Glitter Man. Over the years, the museum has moved around a couple of times and, these days has found a home in Thriller Villa, Michael Jackson’s old home.

But no matter where it’s located, the one consistent factor about the Liberace Museum is the sighting of one particular ghost living there. 

Hauntings at the Liberace Museum

That ghost is thought to be none other than Mr. Showmanship himself, Liberace! Yes, even after death, Liberace can’t seem to stop putting on a show, as many visitors to the Liberace Museum have felt his presence and energy over the years.

While there is some debate about whether Liberace is the sole source behind many of these weird phenomena, there does seem to be some evidence that the Glitter Man still exists in the museum. 

The most notable is the grand piano, which plays by itself when people enter. Could this be a novelty automated piano, or does Liberace himself come through to possess the instrument every now and again to keep his skills sharp? Or maybe he just can’t resist the idea of putting on a show for visitors. 

There’s also the shadowy figure many guests have reported seeing over the years. Some describe this spooky figure as moving along the walls quickly, darting in and out of view, or disappearing entirely when people try to get an up-close look at it. 

While there are a few likely ghostly culprits for who this shadow might be, the number one suspect is Liberace himself, as his frenetic movements and the path the shadow takes around his favorite items seem very much in line with the pop star. 

Also, unlike many paranormal investigators, where vague feelings of the departed can be felt without a keen sense of their precise identity, many psychics have reported specifically feeling Liberace’s presence there. It’s possible that he was such a magnanimous figure in life and in pop culture, that his ghost is able to be more easily felt by experts in the paranormal. 

Other Strange Happenings In The Museum

Liberace isn’t the only strange being causing a bit of chaos in the Liberace Museum either. In fact, he’s almost certainly not to blame for the mysterious orbs that were photographed in 1977 by a team of visiting researchers. These orbs were floating in the air, brilliantly bright, and had no bearing on any part of Liberace’s career or collection. 

The way they’re described makes them sound similar to the will-o’-the-wisp phenomenon. Thought to be fairy creatures floating in the dark, will-o’-the-wisps have an interesting reputation. Some view them as omens of death. 

Others say they lure unsuspecting travelers down dangerous roads as some form of sick game. Still others think that while they may be tricksters, they’re ultimately benevolent creatures. If these orb-like ghosts really are will-o’-the-wisps, it’s anyone’s guess as to what they’re doing in the Liberace Museum. 

Perhaps fairy creatures enjoy his music, too! 

Strange Happenings

But it’s not just orbs that haunt the halls of the museum either. Apart from the usual eerie feeling that the decor provides – gold-trimmed rooms, countless mirrors, and oversized furniture can make anyone feel a bit small and nervous – there are a few rooms in particular that are known to freak guests out. 

One standout is the bathroom. Apart from the eerily oversized tub and sink, many have reported hearing scraping sounds on the marble floors, like someone is trying to sneak up on them. Inevitably, when someone turns around to check, no one is around. 

A trick of the ears perhaps, or is something more sinister afoot? 

There’s also the bedroom and the foyer. Objects there have a strange habit of being switched around or turned upside-down. Maybe it’s some harmless pranksters, or maybe it’s Liberace insisting to the museum that if they’re going to display his possessions, the least they could do is have them in the right place! 

Haunted Vegas

If you ever find yourself in Las Vegas, be sure to put a quarter in one of the casinos’ jukeboxes and play a Liberace song for Mr. Showmanship’s sake. By all accounts, his ghost will appreciate it. Just be sure not to touch his stuff if you also pay a visit to his museum! 

If you liked this story and want to learn similar tales, check out our Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. They spotlight other offbeat ghost stories all over the United States. Checking our blog is another good way to stay up-to-date with all the latest ghost stories and haunted spots in America.  

If you want to explore Nevada ghosts specifically, our in-person ghost tour with Las Vegas Ghosts is the best way to do that. Our guides are knowledgeable and enthusiastic and can provide even more information on the area. 

Sources:

• https://www.lasvegasnvmuseum.org/exhibits/liberace-real-and-beyond/
• http://www.ghostvillage.com/resources/2005/features_10072005.shtml
• https://www.vegashauntedhouses.com/blog/las-vegas-haunted-places.html