Burlesque

"Striptease is the original American art," says Dixie Evans, curator and director of the Burlesque Hall of Fame. That's debatable, perhaps, but there's no denying that her museum contains some rather provocative artifacts. Sexy photos, G-strings, costumes, fans, boas, and other show-stopping accoutrements of the "women of classic burlesque theater" make for an eye-popping tour.

Evans's mission goes beyond mere titillation. Her museum, a few miles off Interstate 15 south of Barstow, attempts nothing short of a history of burlesque, from the 19th century to the bawdy form's golden age in the mid-20th century. To qualify for the Burlesque Museum and Hall of Fame a woman must have performed in burlesque for at least 10 years.

29053 Wild Rd., Helendale, CA, Phone: 760-243-5261. Cost: Call for rates. Daily 10-4. www.exoticworld.org