A cultural jackpot

Not in the mood to spend big? You’re in luck. Here are 21 things to do on the cheap.

For those who want to spend more time than money in Las Vegas, here are 21 things to do for less than $21, all aimed at keeping the bottom line low and the fun factor high.

Forsake the fake pyramid and fake Statue of Liberty for a power walk through the real Vegas: 110 acres of pre-bugsy Siegel desert. There are miles of cactus-filled trails, botanic gardens and a museum that pays tribute to the city’s Mojave Desert roots. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. $18.95 for adults, $10.95 for kids 5-17. 333 S. Valley View Blvd.; (702) 822-7700, www.springspreserve.org.

Tillman Me-

The Mike O’callaghan-pat

morial Bridge, as it’s officially known, opened two years ago to ease traffic congestion at Hoover Dam. The bridge, about 35 miles south of Las Vegas, became an instant landmark for its breathtaking views of the dam and the Colorado River. Pull off U.S. 93, take a stroll over the span and snap a few pictures. www.hooverdam bypass.org.

Glass man Dale Chihuly seems to be everywhere in Vegas. The chandelier in the lobby of the Bellagio is a must-see, with layers and layers of glass flowers. Then tour the Gallery at Crystals Place in Citycenter, where the artist’s glass works sell for $4,000 to $640,000 — but window-shopping is free. www.crystalsatcitycenter .com/crystals-place/the-gal lery.aspx. Go online for more photos of these inexpensive activities. bartenders who dance and juggle bottles to make drinks (Tim “Flippy” Morris is the superstar). Watching these mesmerizing mixologists is free, but the drinks will set you back $11 to $13 each. 3475 Las Vegas Blvd. S.

The hottest new attraction in town may be the National Museum of Organized Crime & Law Enforcement. Exhibits give equal time to crime figures such as Bugsy Siegel and Al Capone and the men who pursued them, from J. Edgar Hoover to Rudy Giuliani. Open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays-thursdays, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for children 5-17. 300 Stewart Ave.; (702) 229-2734, themobmuse um.org.

At this joint, there’s still time to have a misspent youth. Few people younger than 40 understand the allure of pinball machines, but who cares when you can play these throwbacks for 25-75 cents a game? (See story, L4.) Open 11a.m.-11p.m. Sundays-thursdays; 11 a.m.midnight Fridays and Saturdays. 1610 E. Tropicana Ave. www.pinballhall.org.

Why go to the blackjack table without a strategy? Many casinos teach newbies how to play. Get schooled in poker, craps, roulette and blackjack at the Luxor, www.luxor.com/casino/casi no_tablegames.aspx, or the Excalibur, www.excalibur .com/casino/game_guide .aspx.

This is the largest Hennes & Mauritz store in the U.S., with three stories in about 55,000 square feet of space. Shop on the cheap at the massive Forum Shops at Caesars site. Open 10 a.m. daily, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S., (702) 207-0167.

Cash in your chips and spend an afternoon with Monet at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art through the end of the year. See more than 20 works by the Impressionist master for the $15 price of admission. Picasso, Chagall and Andy Warhol also join the Vegas lineup in the new Martin Lawrence Galleries, free to enter at the Forum Shops at Caesars.

Brian van der Brug Los Angeles Times LIGHT GLINTS off the luxuriously finished circular staircase at the new Smith Center’s Reynolds Hall, which will hold concerts, theatrical performances and more.

Brian van der Brug Los Angeles Times Mary Forgione THE HOOVER DAM BYPASS, whose official name is the Mike O’callaghan-pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, looms 890 feet above the Colorado River and includes spots to stop and snap panoramic photographs of the canyon and historic dam.

Photographs by Brian van der Brug Los Angeles Times BOTANIC GARDENS, a museum and miles of trails await at Springs Preserve.