Neon may be going the way of gas-powered light. Although it’ll take more than a pulling the plug to make it disappear. The American Sign Museum (ASM) is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the release of American Sign Museum: Celebrating 25 Years that tells both the stories of signage in America and the creation of the Museum. The book will be available to the public for the holiday season.
The American Sign Museum covers more than 100 years of American sign history and displays more than 800 signs and artifacts, making it the most comprehensive museum of its kind. With a mission to educate the community about the history of the sign industry and its significant contribution to commerce and the American landscape, the Museum is organized to preserve, archive and display a historical collection of signs in their many types and forms.
From its start in the basement of the Signs of the Times offices, the ASM has grown over its 25 years to a 40,000-square-foot facility that houses more than 100 years of signage with a collection that is the most comprehensive display of signs in the country.
“From an idea in founder Tod Swormstedt’s brain to the #3 Pop Culture Museum in the country, the story of the American Sign Museum is a story of ingenuity worth telling. This beautiful compilation is a wonderful celebration of the often-overlooked impact signs have had on American culture,” said David Dupee, ASM’s director.
Local photographer and educator Natalie Grilli did the book’s photography.
Work on the book began in November 2024 when a team was assembled to create the content of the book. Sam Roberts, the editor and publisher of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine), served as author. BLAG is the world’s only print and online publication dedicated to the signpainting trade.
The book was designed by Kathy Kikkert, who specializes in book design, restaurant branding, and illustration. Kikkert is the author and designer of Hollywood Signs: The Golden Age of Glittering Graphics and Glowing Neon.
It promises to light up the holiday season. Ho! Ho !
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