Historic signs find new home at luminous tribute north of downtown

By Lisa Sturgis and Tom Durian

Published: Nov. 6, 2025 at 9:53 PM PST

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Paris may be the birthplace of neon lighting, but the brilliant signage found its true home in Las Vegas.

Historians believe the first neon sign went up along the Strip sometime between 1928 and 1930, with many following in its glowing footsteps.

Time has changed the Strip, but the signs from past iconic properties have not simply faded away. They have found a new place to shine at the Neon Museum just north of downtown Las Vegas.

From junkyard to curated collection

“We get called a graveyard. We get called a junkyard. We get called all of those things, but it’s actually a boneyard,” said Aaron Berger, Executive Director of the Neon Museum.

The museum represents Las Vegas’ unique approach to historic preservation.

“So most cities, we save the building. So here, we implode them, and we have this great time. We have a party out of it, right? And we save the signs,” Berger said. “So the signs are actually how we’ve been able to do historic preservation in Las Vegas.”

Museum’s origins

The museum started with YESCO, a sign manufacturer for much of the city. YESCO had a collection of signs that had been taken down and called the city, asking what to do with them.

That call ignited an idea. The city, under then-mayor Jan Jones, began forming partnerships with Valley non-profits to make the museum a reality.

It would take 15 years of collaboration, negotiation, and restoration.

Restoration process

“For people who, again, think of us as a junkyard or graveyard, this is actually quite curated and an enormous amount of work,” Berger said.

Acquiring a sign is just the starting point. The restoration process is slow, painstaking and dangerous due to the fact that the glass must be bent using an open flame.

“So this is one of my favorite things to point out is this little spot where we have been able to save the original coral and it goes to that bubblegum pink,” Berger said.

Installation challenges

Installation presents its own challenges. For the El Cortez Hotel and Casino sign, the museum had to move 14 signs to make room.

“We had to dig a hole that was 12 feet into the ground to create a cement pylon to hold it up so that it will stay in place, so that when we get our Las Vegas winds, that’s not going to topple over or go backwards,” Berger said. “There is an enormous amount of trenching that goes on to provide the electrical.”

The El Cortez sign is the newest addition to the museum. The casino and hotel remain open, but the sign has become part of history.

Space constraints drive expansion plans

Only a small portion of the museum’s collection is on display at the Neon Boneyard. More than 500 pieces sit in storage because there is no space to put them up.

The museum also needs more room for the quarter-of-a-million people who pass through its glowing doors each year. Berger said two larger sites in the Arts District are currently under consideration.

Making history relevant

The museum works to make the signs speak to new generations.

“It is taking these signs and making them relevant. So if you have a 25 year old come through and see the Liberace sign, that may or may not mean anything to that person,” Berger said. “So it’s our job to find ways to make these signs speak beyond what you just see in pretty colors.”

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