The American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio Provides a Quirky Look at U.S. History

The only public sign museum in the nation, the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio takes visitors on a tour of 100 years of American signage, from simple posters to spectacular examples of the use of neon.

A non-profit corporation, the American Sign Museum began not with a collection but with an idea forged by Tod Swormstedt, former editor and publisher of Sign of the Times Magazine, a leading magazine for those in the sign industry. With support of the magazine's publishing company, the museum opened in spring 2005 and now boasts more than 3,000 catalogued items. Donations and new additions are made regularly.

The museum, with a mission to "inform and educate the general public, as well as business and special interest groups, about the history of the sign industry and its significant contribution to commerce and the American landscape", is currently housed in a 42,000 square-foot facility in Cincinnati's Camp Washington neighborhood, having outgrown its first location in Walnut Hills. Twenty-eight foot ceilings provide plenty of room for displays of extra large signage.

For visitors, especially those who have a fondness for Americana, the American Sign Museum is truly fascinating and brings back grand memories of days gone by, when billboards and other kinds of signs were the main source of advertising for most companies.

The signs on display are divided into eight categories: Gold Leaf Glass Signs, which includes gilded signs from the early 19th century; Pre-Neon Electric Signs from the era of signs that used standard light bulbs to illuminate their message; Painted Non-Illuminated Signs, some dating back to the late 19th century; two collections of Neon Signs and Displays, one profiling the 20s and 30s and another highlighting such signs from the 40s and 50s; Plastic Signs of the post-World War II era; Sign Shop Signs that span the last century; and Miscellaneous Signs and Displays including such popular icons as the Bob's Big Boy figure and the original Holiday Inn sign.

In addition, visitors can view a photo collection of more than 1,200 objects that are not currently on display, many of them from private donors. Another display, dubbed "The Art of the Sales Proposal'', highlights sketches and 3-D models of signs which acted as proposals for creators that were hoping to sell their designs to particular companies or businesses.

The American Sign Museum is offered for rent for parties, receptions, meetings, and other special occasions and makes a unique and educational location for these events. The museum can accommodate a DJ, plenty of seating, and even provides an outdoor grilling area during the summer. Rates are charged per 5 hour time slot. The museum has already been the site of numerous wedding ceremonies.

Currently, the museum has limited hours and is only open on Saturdays throughout the year. Special fundraising events that support the museum are held several times each year, including silent auctions and adopt-a-sign programs. As more individuals volunteer to be docents, the museum hopes to extend its hours.