Las Vegas Gives Historic Status to Siegfried & Roy’s Jungle Palace, Plans to Open Museum

Officials in Clark County voted to grant historic status to the Jungle Palace this week. The 8,750-square-foot building sits at 1639 Valley Drive, marking a shift from private home to public attraction.

Built in 1954, the Moroccan-inspired estate boasts three guest houses, a studio, and three different pools. The site gained fame after performers Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn bought it in 1982.

"Absolutely not," Siegfried told the Las Vegas Sun in 2015 when asked about public access. "This is our private — no, no, no. It's our thing."

During their peak years, Horn kept his big cats right in the house. The tigers and lions slept in his bed until they turned one. He'd even swim with them in the main pool, showing his deep bond with the animals.

The duo first hit the Vegas stage in 1967. After moving to the New Frontier in 1981, they launched a dazzling $30 million production at The Mirage in 1990. Their 13-year stint there packed in over 5,700 shows.

Tragedy struck on October 3, 2003. A white tiger named Mantacore injured Horn mid-show, leaving him partly paralyzed. He spent his final years at the Jungle Palace before COVID-19 took his life in 2020 at 75. Fischbacher passed from pancreatic cancer the next year at 81.

Brett and George Carden, who run Carden International Circus, picked up the site for $3 million last March. Just months before, the 0.42-acre plot had changed hands for $1.87 million.

The Cardens want to transform the space into a spot for tours, celebrations, photo sessions, and art displays. While the duo never wanted their home public, it now joins other performers' residences that have been turned into museums in Vegas.

As The Mirage closed its doors in 2024, this new chapter for the Jungle Palace keeps the magic alive. The site stands as a testament to Vegas showbiz, ready to share its secrets with visitors.