AmericanSignMuseum

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TheAmericanSignMuseuminCincinnati,Ohio,preserves,
archives,anddisplaysacollectionofsigns.Themuseum AmericanSignMuseum
alsodisplaystheequipmentutilizedinthedesignand
manufactureofsigns.[1]TodSwormstedtbeganworkingon
themuseumin1999.Itopenedtothepublicin2005.[2]

Contents
1 Background
2 Collection
3 20072012:Growth
4 Seealso
5 References
6 Externallinks

Background
Swormstedt'sfamilyownsthesignageindustrytradejournal
SignsoftheTimes,whichhasbeenpublishedsince1906.[3]
Swormstedt'sgrandfather,H.C.Menefee,wasthefirsteditor
ofthepublication,andpurchaseditforhimselfin1911.[4]
Swormstedthadbeenworkingatthejournalforovertwenty LocationwithinOhio
yearsbeforebecominginspiredtostartasignmuseumin
Established 1999
1999.[2]Hisfamilyprovided$1millionfortheproject,and
Location 1330MonmouthStreet
figuresfromthesignageindustrygavedonationsoftheir
Cincinnati,Ohio
own.Themuseumwasfoundedasanonprofitcorporation.[3]
SwormstedtconsideredbuildingthemuseuminLosAngeles, Coordinates 39.127N84.499W
St.Louis,Memphis,andothersites,buteventuallysettledon Type Collectionmuseum
Cincinnati,thebaseofoperationsforSignsoftheTimes.[4] Website www.americansignmuseum.org(htt
p://www.americansignmuseum.org/)
Collection
Over200signsandotherobjectsareondisplayatthemuseum,[2]andover3,800itemsarecataloged.[5]The
collectionrangesfromthelatenineteenthcenturytothe1970s.Highlightsofthecollectionincludesamplesof
goldleafletteringonglass,aSputniklikeplasticorbfromanAnaheimshoppingcenter,arotatingneon
windmillfromaDenverdonutshop,[2]LasVegasshowcards,andafiberglassFrisch'sBigBoystatuewitha
slingshotinhispocket.(TheslingshotwasomittedfromlatermodelsoftheBigBoystatue.)Onecanalsofind
signsfrombusinessessuchasBigBearStores,HowardJohnson's,andEarlScheib.[4]Overthemuseum's
entrance,visitorsaregreetedbya20foottall(6.1m)fiberglassgeniefromaLosAngelescarpetcleaning
company.[2]

In2008,themuseumacquiredasinglearch1963McDonald'ssignfromHuntsville,Alabama.Thesign
featuresMcDonald'sSpeedeecharacter,whowasphasedoutinfavorofRonaldMcDonaldinthe1960s.[6]In
2009,themuseumaddedaneonsignfromJohnnysBigRedGrill,onceapopularrestaurantamongCornell
Universitystudents.[7]

20072012:Growth
Manysignsownedbythemuseumweretoolargetofittheoriginalexhibit
space.[2]Tobetteraccommodatethecollection,themuseumbegan
purchasinga42,000squarefoot(3,900m2)propertyinCampWashington,
Cincinnati,in2007.[8]ThenewlocationispartoftheOesterleinMachine
CompanyFashionFrocks,Inc.Complex,aNationalRegisterofHistoric
Placesbuilding.[9]ThemuseumopenedinitsnewhomeinJune2012,[8] Asampleofthedisplaywithinthe
andthebuildingdisplaysabout500signsandartifacts,[10]manyofwhich AmericanSignMuseumin2014
areonafauxstreetscapeinatowncalled"Signville".[5] includessignsforGulfOiland
KonaLanes.
NeonworksofCincinnatimoveditsbusinessintothemuseum'snew
locationandfeaturesaliveexhibitshowingvisitorshowtheyrestoreneon
signs.[5]

Seealso
NeonMuseumattheFremontStreetExperienceinLasVegas

References
1.EdwardRothstein."BrightLights,WideEyes:NostalgicCollectionsThatSpeakVolumes(https://www.nytimes.com/
2009/06/22/arts/design/22private.html?pagewanted=1)".NewYorkTimes.June21,2009.RetrievedonFebruary5,
2010.
2.LisaCornwell."Museumshowcases'signgarden'(http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/20080223signs_N.
htm)".USAToday.February25,2008.RetrievedonFebruary5,2010.
3.StevenRosen."Cincymuseumsalutessignsofthetimes".DenverPost.March13,2005.T10.
4.DaveHoekstra."Signsstandup,sayitloud".ChicagoSunTimes.April16,2006.Travel,C1.
5.MeghanMongillo(reporter)."AmericanSignMuseumMoving(http://www.fox19.com/global/Category.asp?C=1511
46&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=15048&topVideoCatNoB=109491&topVideoCatNoC=104760&topVideoCatNoD=1418
04&topVideoCatNoE=142722&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=4511419&flvUri)".FOX19News.
Cincinnati,Ohio.January21,2010.RetrievedonFebruary6,2010.
6.SteveDoyle."McDonald'ssignmovingtoOhio(http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/12089
42190161530.xml&coll=1)".HuntsvilleTimes.April23,2008.RetrievedonFebruary6,2010.
7.ElisabethRosen."BigRedSignFindsHomeinOhioMuseum(http://www.cornellsun.com/section/news/content/200
9/11/06/bigredsignfindshomeohiomuseum)".TheCornellDailySun.November6,2009.RetrievedonFebruary
6,2010.
8.AbouttheMuseum(http://www.americansignmuseum.org/about/).AmericanSignMuseum.2010.Retrievedon
February6,2010.
9.CliffRadel.SignMuseumplansbiggerhomeinCampWashington(http://www.thesignsyndicate.com/forums/index.p
hp?showtopic=1552).CincinnatiEnquirer.January30,2007.RetrievedonFebruary6,2010.
10.MikeHarden."Signmuseumproffersnostalgiainneon(http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/200
9/02/22/MIKE22.ART_ART_022209_B1_63D0BU2.html)".ColumbusDispatch.February22,2009.Retrievedon
February6,2010.

Externallinks
AmericanSignMuseum(http://www.americansignmuseum.org/)Officialsite

Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=American_Sign_Museum&oldid=767126891"
Categories: MuseumsinCincinnati MediamuseumsintheUnitedStates
DesignmuseumsintheUnitedStates Signage IndustrymuseumsinOhio Neonlighting
Museumsestablishedin1999 1999establishmentsinOhio

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