Las Vegas, Nev., 2009.

I went to Vegas once. I don’t feel I need to go again.

That goes double now that I know my favorite attraction of my one and only visit is now closed: the Liberace Museum.

Władziu Valentino Liberace is Vegas, so of course, Vaneta and I had to take the free shuttle from the Strip to another strip (mall) to see the museum.

And while the location was nondescript, the treasures within were a sight to behold. The piano virtuoso, known as much for his outrageous outrageousness as he was for his music, commanded $50,000 a week to play at the Riviera in the 1950s—making him the highest-paid entertainer in the world at the time. The man had money to burn, and he spent those dollars in the most fabulous of ways.

If it was big, pink, sparkly and feather-festooned, Liberace bought it. Exhibit A:

He was famous for leaving the stage during his show with the legend, “Let me slip into something a little more spectacular.” A little something like this, maybe:

The maestro was truly the king of bling. Among his impressive collection:

• a disco-ball-mirrored car and piano
• a pink Rolls
• a gold glitter Corvette
• rhinestone-studded shoes of various colors and designs
• jeweled rings shaped like a piano and a candelabra
• and (my personal faves) red, white and blue sequined hot pants.

During our visit, we were treated to a lovely serenade played by a volunteer on Liberace’s own disco-mirrored piano.

It was a good reminder of what Liberace was really all about. Beyond the sparkles, his greatest legacy is the millions of dollars he endowed to music and art scholarships for talented students.

Licensing fees from Mr. Showmanship’s intellectual property go toward museum management and scholarships for young virtuosos. Literally millions have gone to help artists of all kinds—dancers, actors, fashion designers and of course musicians—further their educations and achieve their dreams. Liberace considered the foundation his greatest accomplishment, saying, “A lot of good things have happened to me in show business, and I want to do what I can to give others just starting out a career boost.”

Beyond the bling (and Behind the Candelabra, which is a must-see), this talent was a whole different kind of spectacular—one that no one will ever top (looking at you, Gaga).

Oh, I also wanted to share one of the awesome souvenirs I scored during my visit. Don’t get too jealous! It’s Liberace-in-USA-spangled-hot-pants prayer candle!

P.S. That sparkling prayer candle must have worked because I have just learned some fabulous news! The feathers, sparkles and hot-pants glory of the Liberace collection is not lost to history. This April 7, a whole new  museum filled with the maestro’s treasures will open its doors at 5115 Dean Martin Drive, Suite 905, and will be loaded with cars, stage suits, jewels and much, much more from possibly the most glorious collection of glitz and glam this world has ever seen.

So I lied—I’ll now have to go back to Vegas after all!