National Neon Sign Museum

The National Neon Sign Museum is located in the heart of The Dalles downtown historic district. The museum captures the history, craftsmanship, and culture that shaped America, as seen through the lens of the signage and advertising industry.

With its focus on the evolution of the electric sign, from pre-electric and gold leaf signage to the invention and widespread use of plastic, the museum’s current assets represent one of the largest collections of neon storefront signs in the world.

The collection is filled with an expansive range of signage and artifacts related to the sign industry, including many one-of-a-kind signs and displays that cannot be seen on public display anywhere else in the world. Along with the animated and figural ‘Dog n’ Suds’ sign and the Howard Johnson’s ‘Simple Simon,’ the collection also includes one of the rarest groupings of West Coast petroleum signs ever assembled, including Richfield-‘Eagle,’ Seaside, Polly, Associated, and the Buffalo sign.

The National Neon Sign Museum is dedicated to providing a dynamic and entertaining environment that promotes an understanding and appreciation of advertising and signage and the unique role it has played in American history. It will provide historical, social, and cultural relevance through the exhibition of more than 20,000 square feet of electrifying signs, ephemera, and interactive displays that date from the late 1800’s through the 1960’s.