“Preservation, collection, interpretation.” These three words embody the essence of the Museum of Neon Art. Founded in 1981 by artists Lili Lakich and Richard Jenkins, the Museum of Neon Art began as a haven for discarded signs. Imagine Los Angeles, 1981. Iconic neon signs were tossed aside. Lakich and Jenkins saw art where others saw scrap.
The Museum of Neon Art became a non-profit. Its goal? To showcase and preserve electrifying art. The Museum of Neon Art has moved several times. It has been at Universal CityWalk. It has been at Grand Hope Park. The Museum of Neon Art even resided in the Historic Core. In 2016, the Museum of Neon Art found a permanent home in Glendale.
Here at the Museum of Neon Art, you’re not just looking at pretty lights. You’re witnessing a fusion. The Museum of Neon Art blends science and art. Neon is a gateway. Electrical technology meets creative design. Physics and chemistry illuminate artistic expression. The Museum of Neon Art stands as the sole institution globally dedicated solely to electric media art. For over three decades, the Museum of Neon Art has showcased electric and kinetic fine art alongside historic neon signs.
But the Museum of Neon Art is more than exhibitions. Education thrives here. New learning programs teach science through art. For over thirty years, the Museum of Neon Art has raised awareness of the cultural value of historic signs. The Lumens project and the Neon Cruise bus tour are examples of the Museum of Neon Art’s outreach.
Inside the Glendale facility, a classroom buzzes. Visitors watch skilled craftspeople. They shape neon tubes. You can even take a hands-on class and learn the fascinating art form. The Museum of Neon Art offers classes like “Intro to Neon Art.” “Bend, Blow & Glow” is another. Or try the “One-Day Neon Art Immersive.”
Look around. The Museum of Neon Art’s collection boasts incredible pieces. There is the Derby sign from the Brown Derby. A “Rugs” sign comes from Pasadena Rug Mart. A dragon sign once adorned Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The Museum of Neon Art also displays signs from Billy’s Deli and Circus of Books.
The Museum of Neon Art champions preservation. It has saved and restored over 500 historic signs. Over 150 signs across Los Angeles County shine again thanks to the Museum of Neon Art. In 2022, the Los Angeles Conservancy honored the Museum of Neon Art with a Preservation Award. The Museum of Neon Art is committed to the LGBT+ community. The 2023 exhibition “Light in the Dark: Queer Narratives in Neon” showcased this support.
So, as you leave the Museum of Neon Art, remember its mission. The Museum of Neon Art encourages learning. It sparks curiosity. It fosters expression. Through neon, electric, and kinetic art, the Museum of Neon Art illuminates our world.