Customer: The Punk Rock Museum
Website: thepunkrockmuseum.com
"Howdy, Punker!"
Pure Buttons has manufactured custom gift shop merchandise for a wide variety of museums, zoos and attractions all across the country, but one very dear to our hearts is The Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas, NV. Featuring relics, photographs and authentic playable instruments donated by punk legends, the museum is like the punk alternative to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In the heat of downtown Las Vegas, an imposing matte black building holds a carefully curated display of historical relics donated by collectors and the musicians themselves. The museum opened on April 1st, 2023 (no foolin') and offers a diverse event calendar of live performances and celebrity guided tours by some of the most prominent artists in the genre. After you learn everything there is to know about the history of punk rock, you can also get drunk, tattooed, and married at the museum.
Through the influence of the museum's founders including Warped Tour Veteran Lisa Brownlee, NOFX's Fat Mike, and Nirvana's Pat Smear, the genre's top talent have converged on the museum to offer unbelievable artifacts, a jam space called the Pennywise Garage, and in-person guided tours by some of the very same artists with material showcased at the museum, something no other museum offers.
We were lucky enough to speak with one of the museum's founders Vinnie Fiorello, co-founder of Less Than Jake and Fueled by Ramen Records, about the museum and how buttons are a part of his punk rock story:
"I bought a one inch Misfits button from the flea market when I was 12 and always think that was a start to my punk journey."
We're from the Cleveland area. Was there any inspiration taken from the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame for the Punk Rock Museum?
"Anytime you talk music and artifacts there's always the connection with RNR Hall Of Fame but also places like Museum of Pop Culture or the other museum in Las Vegas. We wanted to bring in all elements to the museum so we have a bar, a tattoo shop, a jam room where you can play your favorite punkers' guitar, retail store and now a newly opened record store."
What is your favorite feature of, or item in the museum?
"The Tim Armstrong guitar from Operation Ivy is my favorite artifact and the jam room is my favorite feature."
How are buttons used / sold at the museum?
"We have bulk one inch buttons to grab and go but also 3 packs of limited buttons available too."
On display, you'll find a massive collection written words, photographs, instruments, posters, stickers, flyers, postcards, letters, and several leather jackets adorned with spikes, patches, pins and buttons. The museum covers West Coast, East Coast and British punk, showcasing the origins, predecessors, and offshoot genres, up to current day bands.
"Wearing (buttons) is alive and well."
Do people still wear buttons on jackets etc or do you think they are more of a collectable token these days?
"I see people wear them on jackets, on backpacks, on hats, wearing them is alive and well."
While the museum is certainly a nostalgia trip, it is also an ever evolving display of current trends, with live performances by touring bands, and a wall of historical and recent flyers contributed by musicians from across the world. The collection continues to grow and you never know who or what you'll see at the museum.
How many visitors does the museum get?
"Since we are located in Las Vegas we very much are linked to tourists, so when it's a festival or at the busy season it gets packed."
Do you have any thoughts about how Pure Buttons has been to work with over the years?
"It's been fantastic and I love pushing into different sizes and shapes."
The Punk Rock Museum has chosen our classic 1" Buttons and 1.25" Buttons, but they've also ventured out and printed their excellent black and green logo on our 1" Square Buttons (seen above). The square logo buttons look fantastic and are eye-catching, while remaining small enough to include with other pins on any jacket or bag.
If you visit the museum, make sure to pick up some merch while you're there! In the gift shop you'll find a variety of awesome t-shirts, photo prints, posters, shot glasses, mugs, stickers, and of course, pinback buttons made by Pure Buttons.