American Sign Museum (ASM) follows the creation and innovation of commercial signs and sign-making from 1870 to today. This 20,000-square-foot museum brings visitors through the ages of technology and design through education, observation, and interaction. This is the largest public sign museum in America.
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ASM is a haven for those seeking information on everything from the materials used when making signs, to the evolution of typefaces/ fonts, to the development of signs that use neon and electricity. Through displays and demonstrations, the museum preserves and protects American history and pays homage to the artistry and craftsmanship of earlier times as told on their website. The collection honors an often-overlooked part of American culture that hides in plain sight.
Visitors can watch the staff from the company Neonworks create a neon sign each Saturday during a 45-minute demonstration. The makers answer questions regarding every aspect of creating these gas-filled bright signs that have lit up businesses and advertisements from New York to Las Vegas to your local hometown diner.
Collections
The Museum’s Permanent Collection contains more than 4,000 objects and spans over 100 years of American history, including more than 800 signs, 1,500 photographs, 175 artworks, 300 tools, equipment, and supply materials, in addition to countless ephemera and other sign-related artifacts.
When visiting online, you can see many images of items within the collections, although there is nothing like visiting in person and seeing the effect of all the signs, catalogs, related photography, advertising, equipment, and more.
Each category adds to the overall story of not only the artistic elements of signs—from design structure to how color affects the viewers—but the actual technical innovations enabling the sign business to grow stronger, larger, and brighter than ever before.
This hand-rendered model for Claude Neon’s (Baltimore, MD) new logo and sign was created in the 1950s according to the late Jack Nethen. Claude Neon Lights of Maryland, as the company was originally known, was one of the earliest Claude Neon Franchises.
Learning Opportunities
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ASM also offers ready-made educational exercises for children and adults. Scavenger hunts are a favorite for younger fans, and other types of activities are also available online. The Museum can be an exciting classroom to learn about history, language arts, design, and more. Teachers and group leaders have used the Museum to create lesson plans, reading lists, tours, art projects, and in-person scavenger hunts. The Museum also offers its own curriculum-based programs.
There is also a program for older children (grades 7-12) on marketing and branding where students will learn about the elements of a good marketing campaign and then build a brand and marketing plan for prospective clients.
Save Old Signs
Visiting the website (www.americansignmuseum.org), there is a section called “Save Old Signs” (SOS) that brings together resources for restorers, those looking for an appraisal or a particular part, information regarding ongoing projects, news stories, legislative information, and more. While the website is still in development, stay tuned.
“SOS was an acronym used in the mid to late 1960s for grassroots campaigns that sprang up across the country to remove neglected and abandoned signs. Local sign companies and/or state sign associations initiated these “Scrap Old Signs” campaigns as a public service to clean up their local cityscapes. These programs were also partly in response to the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 which legislated the off-premise, outdoor advertising industry.
The on-premise sign industry wanted to improve its public relations to counter the increasingly hostile anti-sign sentiment that was growing across the country,” according to the museum’s website.
Today, communities are realizing the value of preserving iconic signs from in and around historic areas as well as commercial districts, to say nothing of collectors, historic societies, museums, and more.
This beautifully lettered box was acquired by the American Sign Museum at an Indy Ad Show to add to the Museum’s collection. Founder Tod Swormstedt noted that the sign was the oldest piece to be found at the show. “‘Advertising’ may look like it has been misspelled, as it is not usually spelled with an ‘e’ before the ‘ing,’ but one must take into account the context in which the kit was created. Webster didn’t publish the American Dictionary of the English Language until 1828, and the more standardized spelling that we see today didn’t happen overnight. Inconsistent access to education in combination with different educational standards throughout the country meant that the more standardized spelling we know today took decades to become common knowledge.”
ASM’s vision is to be the premier institution for preserving historic signs and promoting the contributions the sign industry makes to commerce, culture, and the American landscape. Its mission is “To celebrate the rich history of American signage through preservation and education.”
“Signs and sign-making are a fascinating reflection of America through the years. If your experience at the American Sign Museum causes you to be more aware of signs in your travels and of their value to businesses and communities, we’ve done our job,” says Swormstedt.
The American Sign Museum is located at 1330 Monmouth Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45225. For more information, visit https://www.americansignmuseum.org/
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