Who doesn’t love a glowing neon sign? How about those that blink, animate, and even rotate to light up the night sky? You’ll find examples of them all at the American Sign Museum, the largest museum in the country dedicated to signs and sign making. For fans of roadside Americana, it’s neon Nirvana.
The place is impressive from the moment you hit the parking lot. You’re greeted by a 20-foot tall fiberglass genie, once the advertising landmark for a California carpet store. He’s right next to a vintage Holiday Inn sign that conjures up family road trips in the family station wagon. And, you can’t miss the huge pink pig, looking like a bus-sized piggy bank. Scattered about, you’ll also find a handful of boneyard pieces awaiting restoration. While those might not be pristine, their original, untouched patina holds a unique appeal.
As much as the outside wows, your jaw will drop when you get inside. There, 20,000 square feet is filled with hundreds of restored items - lit up, blinking, quietly buzzing, and often even in motion. Whatever catches your interest...bowling signs, tiki signs, gas station advertising, classic diner signs…it’s all there. Many people’s favorite is the rotating Sputnik-shaped Shopland sign that harkens back to the height of the space age.
More than a century of outdoor advertising unfolds along recreated storefronts and shop windows of “Main Street USA. Every kind of sign, from 17th century hand-painted gold leaf on glass to 20th century lighted porcelain, is featured. There are huge nostalgic marquees like the McDonald’s sign featuring the original “Speedee” character, a rotating neon windmill from a Denver donut shop, and a 60s Frisch’s Big Boy statue complete with a slingshot in his pocket. According to Tod Swormstedt, the museum’s curator, “We are always acquiring new signs.” We get about 10-15 new signs each month;” adding, “We acquired about 80 to 100 new signs last year.”
In total, the museum has cataloged more than 3,800 signs. Many, like the satellite, are iconic pieces the museum saved from destruction. The most challenging rescue was the Mail Pouch chewing tobacco sign covering an Indiana barn that took nine people to salvage.
The Mail Pouch chewing tobacco sign inside the museum. [Photo/American Sign Museum]
Mr. Swormstedt is the fourth-generation editor of the family-run sign industry publication, Signs of the Times. He founded the museum, then called the National Signs of the Times Museum, in 1999. His family provided initial funding for the project and members of the sign industry stepped in to donate money and signs to get the museum off the ground.
Tod is one of those people who can endear himself to you immediately, and it’s obvious that the museum is his labor of love. He’s personally conducted plenty of tours and is often the one on the road following leads on acquisitions.
Mr. Swormstedt is quick to stress the importance of preserving older signs before they disappear as a permanent record of America’s modern history and commercial landscape. He has quite a few tales to tell about how the museum was able to acquire and save signs that otherwise would have been lost.
Initially, the museum was co-housed in a Cincinnati arts center. While that early home was impressive, larger signs couldn’t be properly displayed. So, in 2012, the museum moved to its new location, effectively tripling its space. Home became the 1918 Oesterlein Machine Company-Fashion Frocks building, formerly a Women’s clothing factory, turned parachute factory during WWII.
Over 2,000 people visit annually, prompting yet another expansion. Swormstedt said, “We are working to expand and get about 20,000 additional square footage.” He pointed to what they call the “Annex” which will be opened up to get at the 28-foot height needed to house even more of the larger signs. “Expansion is about a year and a half away. It’s a big deal; it will double our size,” he told The Buzz.
If you visit Wednesday through Friday, you can also watch tube-benders making and repairing signs at Neonworks of Cincinnati, a commercial neon shop located inside the museum. Swormstedt pointed out, “We opened up the back of the neon shop so visitors can see the assembly of signs going on.” After tours, it’s often possible to chat with the workers about the projects.
The American Sign Museum is located in the Camp Washington neighborhood of Cincinnati, about three miles from downtown, right off of I-75. The area was once a mustering ground and livestock herding area for soldiers from the Mexican-American War through World War I. Those area stockyards were partly responsible for Cincinnati’s garnering the nickname “Porkopolis.”
Today, Camp Washington is an upcoming trendy area, at least partially catalyzed by the museum’s presence. Swormstedt noted, “More artists are moving into the area. And, a new gallery opened up.” He added, “A couple of coffee places have also opened up.”
While you are in the neighborhood, be sure to visit Camp Washington Chili, for a uniquely Cincinnati meal. It’s been an area dining institution for 75 Years.
Admission to the museum is currently $15 for adults, $10 for students, military, and seniors. Children 12 and under are free. Guided tours are available at 11:00 and 2:00. Self-guided tours are available, and Mr. Swormstedt noted that visitors can even take tours on their phone now.
If you plan on staying in the area, several RV parks are within a half-hour drive; they include:
â— North of town at Winton Woods park is the Winton Woods Campground with 25 back-in sites and 12 pull-throughs, some big-rig friendly.
â— In the town of Lebanon about 30 miles north of Cincinnati, you can stop at Lebanon/Cincinnati NE KOA. Max pull thru: 75 feet.
â— Also north of downtown is Hidden Valley with 27 sites.
â— South into Kentucky is about a 45 minute drive to Oak Creek Campground, a family owned campground in business for 47 years.
â— West of Cincinnati in Rising Sun, Indiana is Little Farm on the River featuring pull through, big-rig accessible, and riverfront sites among its 200 spaces.
â— Also in Rising Sun is the RV Park at the Rising Sun Casino, with 50 sites.