National Neon Sign Museum — Attraction in The Dalles

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 10/10 | A+ | Will rave about forever

If you’ve ever wondered where all the neon signs of yesteryear went after their last flicker—look no further. A group of 36 of us from the Troutdale Historical Society recently toured the National Neon Sign Museum and left absolutely glowing. (Pun absolutely intended.)

From the moment we walked in, we were dazzled—not just by the lights, but by David’s infectious passion for saving and sharing the electrified art of neon signage. The man could make a discussion about gas tubes feel like a TED Talk on cultural preservation (because, frankly, it is). Kirsten and the entire crew—staff and volunteers alike—were warm, knowledgeable, and clearly in love with what they do. And it shows. Every detail, every artifact, every flicker of light is a love letter to history.

Oh—and the Jantzen Beach Carousel restoration? Meticulous doesn’t begin to cover it. We’re already planning a return trip to see it spin again, and you better believe we’ll be first in line to ride.

Huge thanks to the whole team for hosting us and for doing the important work of preserving this vibrant slice of American history.

With gratitude (and a touch of neon envy), Chris Garza Executive Director, Troutdale...

When: Saturday April 27th; 2 Adults

Service: My wife and I absolutely loved this place. The customer service received by all museum staff was friendly, helpful and genuine. But best of all, was the personal tour provided by owner, David. It was a very thorough, historical and engaging tour. You could see the passion in his descriptive narrative of all the museum pieces. Basically, its his personal collections of storing and cataloging each museum piece.

Notes: In my opinion, this museum is primarily geared for adults, probably 40+ and over, who grew up with most of the advertising signage. It is this age bracket, who can probably appreciate it the most. It's not to say teens or children will not enjoy this museum, but they will have to use their intellectual senses and not their video game senses.

Tip: This museum is located in Downtown The Dalles. The visit here will probably take about 1 hour to 2 hours. So, its best you plan your visit here before and/or after lunch. A lot of restaurants and food places are located within walking distance from the museum. When the American Cruise Lines ships are in dock, this place can get a little busy, according to...

We really enjoyed this museum and our tour by owner David, whose passion is inspiring. He is a wealth of knowledge on the history and mechanics behind neon signs and has some impressive historical artifacts, including the very first neon tubes. After a 15 minute video on what neon is and how the signs are made by a craftsman, he will demonstrate how it works, the history of the signs and what makes the beautiful colors we see today. Although he does have some terrific vintage neon signs, it’s not a Vegas art gallery: it’s a neon and sign museum, a history museum and a science museum. The tour isn’t long (about 40 minutes including the 15 minute video) because he gives most of them himself, but you can spend another hour or more just reading and absorbing all the information he has put together. The museum is housed in a beautiful historic 1910 building and there’s an old ballroom upstairs with additional collections. Adult generations will be delighted with the nostalgia, and younger people will learn about the art and science of neon. I would suggest some hands on exhibits for younger children, but kids will still enjoy looking. We...