In 1898 in the city of London, British chemists Morris W. Travers and Sir William Ramsay discovered that they could chill a sample of air until it became a liquid, then warm that liquid and capture the gases that it boiled off. They were amazed that one of the gases was glowing with a brilliant red colour! They had inadvertently discovered the power of the noble gas known as neon.
They had no idea that their discovery would lead to shops, restaurants, bars and casinos all over the world being lit up with neon signs. The arresting colour and bright glow of the gas made neon advertising completely stand out from the rest of the competition.
Neon signs were used all over the world, but they were most popular throughout the United States from the 1920s until the 1960s. Now that the neon sign industry has begun to decline somewhat in the past decades, many are concerned with preserving the heritage of this glowing art form. That is where the Neon Sign Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada comes in.
Bright Lights, Big City
Las Vegas is one of the best examples in the world of neon signs in action, with its multitude of nightclubs, bars and casinos lit up with flashing colours.
Over the years, the Young Electric Sign Company kept all of their old and unused neon signs in their “boneyard”. However, sitting outside in the elements for several years was slowly destroying these pieces of neon art.
The City of Las Vegas, together with the Allied Arts Council of Southern Nevada, founded the Neon Sign Museum in 1996 on Las Vegas Boulevard. The museum was created to preserve the signs and to give visitors a place to learn about the history of the neon sign. The museum collection includes over 150 beautiful donated and rescued signs from the late 1930s through the early 90s. Workers at the museum are endeavouring to restore these signs to their former glory, touching up the paint and replacing their burnt out bulbs.
When you visit Las Vegas, tours and photo shoots in the neon sign “boneyard” must be arranged with the museum office in advance, so make sure that you book ahead because they often sell out. The tours are offered daily from Tuesday through Saturday once per day at 10am. The museum office is open Monday through until Friday 9am to 5pm.
The Neon Sign Museum in Las Vegas is a celebration of the beautiful art form of the neon sign. To create your own modern neon sign to promote your business, visit www.neoncreations.co.uk .
Sign Of The Times – Visiting The Neon Sign Museum In Las Vegas, Nevada
