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All the United States Nevada Las Vegas Art-o-mat

Art-o-mat

These banned cigarette vending machines now sell little pieces of pocket-sized art.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Added By
jondi letnap
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Art-o-mat.   jondi letnap / Atlas Obscura User
The Las Vegas one   evilgreentriangle / Atlas Obscura User
They have a couple of these machines at the Cosmopolitan Casino.   chanson33 / Atlas Obscura User
Orange Art-o-mat at the Cosmopolitan hotel in Las Vegas   serenarobinett 268e6866 / Atlas Obscura User
Across from Va Bene   Schweg / Atlas Obscura User
Art-o-Mat at the Cosmopolitan  
some little trinkets from 3rd floor Artomat @the cosmopolitan lv  
  Sorrel / Atlas Obscura User
  Sorrel / Atlas Obscura User
  jyackabonis / Atlas Obscura User
Small art on woodblock   katherinejhdevaney / Atlas Obscura User
Just in front of the Wicked Spoons buffet   elfandhobbit / Atlas Obscura User
This machine takes $5 and $1 bills   katherinejhdevaney / Atlas Obscura User
Yellow machine by Wicked Spoon   katherinejhdevaney / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  sharris / Atlas Obscura User
A Tiny Watercolor   Sweetwind / Atlas Obscura User
Don’t go artless   claudette / Atlas Obscura User
Don’t be artless!   claudette / Atlas Obscura User
Art-o-mat.   jondi letnap / Atlas Obscura User
Art-o-mat.   jondi letnap / Atlas Obscura User
Art-o-mat.   jondi letnap / Atlas Obscura User
Artistic treasures.   jondi letnap / Atlas Obscura User
Art-o-Mat by Wicked Spoon in the Cosmopolitan   katherinejhdevaney / Atlas Obscura User
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About

You won’t find any smokes in this retro cigarette vending machine. Feed it some cash, and instead of a cigarette you’ll be rewarded with little pieces of art.

What was started in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1997 by artist Clark Whittington as a temporary art exhibit has now grown into an expansive project. Today more than 100 refurbished cigarette vending machines stocked with work from more than 400 artists are spread across the United States and beyond.

Whittington transformed the machines, which were banned by many towns in the late 20th century, into what are essentially little art stores. All you have to do is donate $5 and crank the handle to receive your own original, handmade souvenir. Anything from paintings, jewelry, little sculptures, or drawings will fall into your hands.

The Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, houses the one of the largest single collections of machines throughout its lobby and hallways. There are six such classic Art-o-mats within the Cosmo. Finding them is half the fun … choosing which artist to purchase a treasure from is the other.

Related Tags

Art Smoking Shops

Know Before You Go

Visit the Art-o-mat website for all vending machine locations, and help support local artists. Machines take exact change: $5 bills only.

In January 2024, three of the machines at the Cosmopolitan were empty. 

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Added By

jondi letnap

Edited By

erjeffery, akelleya, sharris, Schweg...

  • erjeffery
  • akelleya
  • sharris
  • Schweg
  • Collector of Experiences
  • Sweetwind
  • elfandhobbit
  • evilgreentriangle
  • chanson33
  • serenarobinett 268e6866
  • Aisforacid
  • jyackabonis
  • jennlowe100
  • Sorrel
  • katherinejhdevaney
  • routt1111
  • kclou
  • EdEddnEdgy
  • claudette

Published

May 2, 2018

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Sources
  • https://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/art-overview
  • http://www.artomat.org/
  • http://www.artomat.org/locations/
  • http://www.artomat.org/gallery/the-cosmopolitan-of-las-vegas-2/
Art-o-mat
3708 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, Nevada
United States
36.109946, -115.175391
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