Lighting Up Las Vegas: YESCO Marks a Glittering Century
On display February 3 – March 23, 2022
Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO), founded in 1920, has played a significant role in creating Las Vegas’ reputation as a city of neon. From its early use of neon on Fremont Street in the 1930s, to the Strip “spectaculars” of the 1950s and 1960s, to the cutting-edge technologies of today, YESCO has helped mold the image of Las Vegas as it is understood around the world. Its iconic signs have come to be recognized as works of art and their significance transcends their function as mere advertisements.
In celebration of YESCO’s 100th anniversary in 2020, this exhibition is curated jointly by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s (LVCVA) Las Vegas News Bureau Archive and The Neon Museum and examines the history and impact of YESCO on Las Vegas. The exhibition follows the intertwined stories of the company, the city, the technology, and the men and women who made it all possible. While this display was slated to open in 2020 to mark YESCO’s centennial, it was delayed due to the COVID pandemic. We are now thrilled to bring this exhibit to the public in 2022 on the 102nd anniversary of YESCO.
Lighting Up Las Vegas: YESCO Marks a Glittering Century will be on display at the Nevada Humanities Program Gallery until March 23, 2022, and may be viewed by appointment Tuesdays through Thursdays from 1 to 4 pm and until 9 pm the first Friday of the month for First Friday events. Masks are required and numbers are limited to accommodate social distancing. Contact Bobbie Ann Howell at bahowell@nevadahumanities.org or call 702.800.4670 to make an in-person viewing appointment.
Visit nevadahumanities.org to learn more.
