American Sign Museum

Alex, our sign tour expert, did a fabulous job explaining & elaborating on the very large variety of signs over the years. We enjoyed being reminded of days gone by with familiar vintage signs. Most are still in good working shape or currently being renewed. The neon explanation and live presentation is very interesting. Highly recommended!

This is definitely a place that you should check out at least once. It has some really cool pieces there that don't exist anywhere else anymore. Definitely go and check out all the old signs and all the lights everywhere. It is impressive their collection. You're not going to be there for a long time but you're definitely going to learn something new and have fun seeing everything that the Sign Museum has to offer

Cool and neat but not $20 per person cool and neat. Yeah I know the money not only pays for staff, upkeep and obtaining new memorabilia, but honestly I feel like $10-$12 maybe $15 per person is more in line. Now, don’y get me wrong, it’s a neat place to reminisce about old businesses we don’t see anymore. The staff were welcoming and the place was clean. Is it a must/see, not exactly. Was it cool to check out, yes of course!

A one of a kind museum that can be appreciated by all. Not only does it contain an abundance of signs of a wide variety, but the story of how signs started and their history is extremely well told. Worth the price of admission. Plenty of parking in the area. Museum can take around an hour or less to complete if you are taking in all of the exhibits. Cool gift shop selling miniature sign replicas as well. The outside of the building also has a lot of signs on display

Great info on signs throughout the history. Some signs allow you the ability to see inside to view the inner workings. Really nice museum layout, A+ on old city settings, really makes the signs come alive. If you're in the media or advertising business, this can be considered a pilgrimage. Easy parking. The museum takes about an hour. The only complaint is that the gift shop is lacking. They don't really sell any actual neon signs. It would've been great to get a mini neon plug-in sign advertising the museum.

admission is a bit pricey, but I imagine their electricity bill is through the roof! Add this to the list of "Things I never realized would be interesting, but we had time to kill, so we stopped in". It's shows the history of signage in America. If you have no interest in this, at least give it a try. The visual stimulation and memories are worth it alone.

I thoroughly enjoyed this museum and really appreciated seeing the history of advertising and how they made signs here and now. They had a replica of a downtown area where you could walk and view all kinds of signage from different eras some of which were historic. It is overwhelming at first but you grow to appreciate just how far advertising and signage and the technology has come over the years in this country.

Awesome place. Tons of neon and other signs. Would definitely recommend coming on Saturday for the tour and live neon demonstration. Gabby the tour guide was awesome, very knowledgeable and entertaining. If you’re visiting Cincinnati area you should stop in for a visit.

CINCINNATI - Loves me a somewhat quixotic museum, like the Cold War Museum outside Manassas, Va., or this collection of mostly 20th century advertisements. It's almost like an art museum; you learn some things while you're there, but really you go to experience the designs and colors and aesthetics. Mmmmaybe a bit expensive at $20, but like the Rock HoF it's worth partaking at least once.

Cool and neat but not $20 per person cool and neat. Yeah I know the money not only pays for staff, upkeep and obtaining new memorabilia, but honestly I feel like $10-$12 maybe $15 per person is more in line. Now, don'y get me wrong, it's a neat place to reminisce about old businesses we don't see anymore. The staff were welcoming and the place was clean. Is it a must/see, not exactly. Was it cool to check out, yes of course!

Three generations (26-85 years) of our family went here today and really enjoyed it! It's a fun place for the whole family, even babies would enjoy the lights and colors! We got a family pass that includes two adults (me and hubby) and four guest passes. Individually, it would have cost us $90 to get in the door but the season's pass was $75 and we still have one guest pass to take someone else.

This had been on my list for a while and I talked the hubby into taking a ride with me. I really like the art and the history of old American signs. I am 64 years old and saw a lot of signs from my childhood. The other thing I liked was they showed some of the kits that the salesman carried and the people who worked on the signs their tools of the trade like their paint brushes and such. They even had signs that were still in their crate that had never been open to be used. I really liked this place and I saw that the kids that were looking had a scavenger hunt page in their hands I found it as I was on my way out so if you stop don't forget to grab one of those at the beginning. Also along the outside are the really big signs so don't forget to take a drive down the street along the side of the building.

Very cool place. You can't miss it driving up- signs all along the side of the building. You can park by them, on the street, but there is a mid-size lot by the main entrance. A few spaces in it on a Sunday near the holidays. Hours are 10-4 Weds-Sun. Inside, friendly staff, a small gift shop, and signs. Everywhere. Many neon, but also metal, porcelain coated, gold leaf, and more. Small placards for each with a bit of history, but mainly you just walk around mouth agape. They are cool, and nostalgic, and sometimes huge. A little expensive, sure, but where else are you going to see big neon signs lit up? They used to be everywhere. Kids are free. Senior discounts. It's worth a detour. Maybe not a special trip- it's not huge- but as part of a family get-together in our case, or a Cinci trip for the aquarium or Childrens' museum etc., a fun hour.

This place is so fun Signs everywhere Neon signs wood signs and so much more You walk in and it's full of colors and fun memories from childhood It's not a huge museum but there is so much you could miss something So glad we went!!

How can anyone not be impressed by flashing neon lights! Everyone in our group loved our experience. We had young and old including a nine year old and a teenager. Bright lights and nostalgia is a perfect combination. We really enjoyed the movie in the theater explaining the origins of some of the signs. This is a must see stop if you are in Cincinnati.

Much more interesting than you might think! The American Sign Museum is a passion project. The contents are well displayed with informative descriptions. There are also areas with contemporary signs created using historic techniques. We spent more time in the video room than expected because it was so interesting. There are event rooms, making the museum an interesting choice for a corporate event.

This is such a cool museum! I have been wanting to make it in whenever I visit Cincinnati, and I am happy I finally did! I brought my boyfriend to my hometown and the American Sign Museum was one of the stops that I had planned. My brother also joined us. All three of us really enjoyed our time here and learned something new! There's so much to look at and learn about. I had no idea so much when into signs, coloring, and lettering. The history was interesting, too. There was a 20 minute informational video that played that was in-depth about each part of the museum, which was a nice overview. The "Main Street USA" area was so cool and made for some really unique and memorable pictures. Overall, it was a great visit! All the employees we spoke to were really friendly and knowledgeable. I definitely want to come back once the expansion is complete.

This is one of the coolest museums I've visited. It's laid out well and there is something interesting everywhere you look. Most of the museum is laid out like a city street so you feel right in the action. I also enjoyed the timeline to show the evolution of signage throughout history. It took us only about 30 minutes to walk through on our own but they also offer guided tours at specific times. Parking was free and it was easy to get to from Downtown Cincy.

A unique museum you must visit in Cincinnati. It's not a huge museum, but it has so much culture and history to see inside. The cost $15 for adults and $10 for students- it's reasonable. This place has its own free parking lot and a short drive from downtown. One of the large exhibits I liked was McDonald's neon sign from 1960's Alabama.

My wife and I visited this museum and absolutely love it. Signs are a strong visual connector to the history of America. We lived looking at this history and remembering when and where we saw these signs, and even more to see the level of artistry, science and craftsmanship that went into producing them. The interior layout and design is fantastic and very professional. All the signs are operational and many have been restored, so it's like seeing it for the first time versus a boneyard. In the last area there is a small food and seating area as well, which looked to be fully used by families. They also had free water and nice bathrooms. It is located in an older industrial area of town, which fits its ethos. There is quite a bit of parking available as well. I highly recommended the American Sign Museum and hope they continue to grow and expand.

A cute little sign museum while we were there. Small with a little gift shop but we like the scavenger hunt. Got a cute little magnet for our magnet wall and took some cute pictures. Not a really big place but no one has signs anymore so this was a nice visit to reminiscent the sign histories and to see how they make the signs. We enjoyed it just for the pictures for memories alone. But it is a one and done thing. However we're glad we paid a visit.

There are a number of reasons why you should visit Cincinnati - it's a lovely city, they have some decent sports teams if that's a thing, they have great art museums, they have a vibrant downtown area and they have some excellent restaurants in all different price ranges. But none of those are a stronger reason to visit than the American Sign Museum. It's not cheap but it is a unique experience that can be enjoyed by all ages. The collection of signs here, inside and out, is without peer. The explanation of how advertising signs have changed throughout the years is wonderful. It's a tremendous museum and you do not want to miss it! Five stars! [Review 20500 overall - 227 in Ohio - 1481 of 2023.]

Although the space is much smaller than you think, the American Sign Museum is an instagram-worthy space that is worth the 30-minute walkthrough. You feel instantly transported back to the days of roller skate carhops and transatlantic accents found only in shoddy b&w detective films. Love this place!

We had a great time visiting the sign museum! I loved learning about the history of signs in advertising and the materials used over time. It's not super big, so it was manageable in an hour or so, and the kids stayed entertained throughout.

This museum exceeded my expectations. Make sure you attend the free 45 minute guided tour and the neon making demonstration.

This museum will bring back so many memories for the baby boomers and others. I just loved all the colors and old signs I remember from my Childhood. I want to think all involved in keeping and restoring these signs and memorable for making signs. They even have a library about sign making, designing, etc. They do have a $15 admission, $10 if you are over 65. But, well worth it considering they probably have a huge light bill...LOL! This is a must see in "Cincy". Free parking, but small parking lot.

If you're looking for a place to get retro photos, this is the place! I went here with my mother and was amazed at the set they made from using all of these signs. My mom pointed out which ones she'd always see when she was a kid and it brought back so many memories for her. I was interested in getting photos of the place and it did not disappoint!

We had a great time at the American sign Museum. There are hundreds of neon signs from all over the country. The signs are displayed on a "Main Street" which is dazzling. My favorite sign was for Kona bowling. I also liked the vintage McDonald's sign which showed the burgers were $.15. I also liked the spinning Frisch's big boy. It was a great place to spend a hot summer afternoon in Cincinnati.

I didn't even know this place existed for years so I was excited to check it out! While it may not be a huge place, it is packed with signs. If you're a fan of neon and vintage signs this is definitely worth checking out. They even have a neon shop on site. We spent about 30 minutes here but I still thought the price of admission was fair. An audio tour is available with the price of admission as well. My favorite part of the museum was the area that was designed to still look like a street. I thought it was well done. Worth checking out at least once if you're in the area!

Very interesting! Wide array of signs, types of signs, the history of the technology. Signs from all over the country (maybe the world too but I didn't pay that close of attention). Very friendly staff Clean facility. Cooler stop than you might think!

It's worth a visit. Although...keep in mind it is a small place. Admission is reasonable. It is neat to see all the signs and lights from the illuminated signs. There is a small gift shop as well. I enjoyed it. Stop in and see for yourself. Enjoy

This is the second time I've been to this location. The cost is $15 per person. It's fascinating to me that someone had the passion to do the research and begin to save, house and organize so many different signs throughout the past. There is so much visual information that you need to leave and re enter sections to catch it all. There is a scavenger hunt, a QR code that you can scan for a guided tour and a video presentation at the past. If you are looking for a novel gift, definitely visit the gift shop before you go. You'd never guess that this museum is hidden in this area. There is a parking lot, which is where you enter.

It was cool to see old signs we grew up with but not worth the money as it only took us 30 min to see everything.

American Sign Museum has a vast American signage collection from 1870 through 1970. The founder and owner of the museum, Tod Swormstedt, had began collecting signs since 1999. He decided to open a museum dedicated to signs in 2005. However because of the size of some signs being too big for the museum, he had to find another location. So in 2012, he moved his museum to its current location now, which was a former parachute factory four times the size of the former museum. With 28-foot-high ceilings it has room for all but the tallest of Tod Swormstedt's signs. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for senior citizens, first responders and college students. Tours are available only on Saturday and Sunday, and is included with your admission price. It does annoy me that the employee who helped us out when we paid for our admission did not bother to inform us about the tour, which really would have enhanced our experience from the beginning. After we were done with most of our visit, we saw a large docent led tour and so we just joined in for a part of it. Anyways, this museum has many, many signs that are all very different and utilizes different material, has different styles that is with the times it was made, etc. There is just one sign that I wanted to share about, the Big Boy sign. This smiling fiberglass Big Boy his holding a very large cheeseburger and has a slingshot in his back pocket. This sign is from the 1960's. From the plaque that I read, later on (in the 1980's), the stripes on his overalls were changed to checkered overalls. Also in the 1990's, his slingshot was removed. Although I did not read this at the museum, in 2016, Big Boy was redesigned and was drawn slimmer. Then the following year, his beloved slingshot was added back to the design. My husband and I spent a little over an hour here on our visit reading most of the plaques, view the view towards the back of the museum and tour the entire museum. There are clean restrooms right past where you pay for your admission. There is a small gift store. Parking is free. It was a good visit for this museum but would highly recommend looking into the free tour if you end up coming on the weekends.

Highly recommend this museum it's a hidden gem for sure with a lot of cool signs and a lot of historical items to boot! Well worth checking out!

I had the privilege of visiting the American Sign Museum. Visitors should plan on spending about 60-70 minutes here. If you are in the Cincinnati area you don't want to miss this museum. Museum gives you a view on the history of signage as well as multiple artifacts. There is an anticipated 20,000 feet expansion which will be very interesting. Artifacts are both local and national. Really great museum!

Small but very interesting museum. I highly recommend watching the short but very informative film about the museum itself and the signs on display. Do that first. It gives you a whole other perspective and you will see things you missed before. We actually revisited a few sign after watching the film and then noticed so may additional details that we had previously missed, simply because we had no clue. Cool photo ops and signs outside the museum, in the parking lot and the side of the museum. Is it the Smithsonian? No, but it is one of a kind and worth a visit. If you are older, many of the sign may remind you of businesses long gone and take you on a trip down memory lane. I, for one, won't look at signs the same way again. Now I can dazzle others with my vast sign knowledge.

Such a unique and interesting museum. It's a small museum (they mentioned it's doubling in size after they finish the new addition), but it's so easy to wipe away hours here, between exploring the signs, taking the tour (Alex was a really fun guide), plus attending the neon tube bending demo. The neon tube demonstration is a must-see if you attend and it's offered twice on Saturdays, right after the museum tour. But, if you can't attend that demo, you can still watch them working in the window between the museum and the company that makes and repairs the neon sign.

This is a wonderful museum! I'd had a few people mention to me that I needed to check it out, and this ended up being a fantastic place to stop on a chilly Saturday when we had just over an hour before our dinner reservations. There's plenty of parking available in a private lot ... we showed up at a peak time, and were still able to find a good spot quickly. There's also several fun signs to look at before you even walk into the museum. We arrived with only about an hour until they closed, but we probably wouldn't have wanted to stay much longer than that. The ticket prices are comparable to CMC and other local museums at $15/adult. The displays are incredibly well done: the signs are positioned in a way to illustrate their history, and show the transition from hand-painted to neon. There are endless photo opportunities ... but there's so much to learn from reading the descriptions beneath the signs. There are also multiple spots throughout the museum where they pay homage to Cincinnati's sign history ... it's fun seeking out those little local shoutouts. The gift shop was a decent size ... and not nearly as "in your face" as some other museums around town. The only other thing I might have liked is an interactive element ... I think there was an attempt at this, with a coloring station for kids, and a movie playing in the back room. I will definitely be back when my family is in town to show them this fantastic spot ... and after reading some other Yelp reviews, I think we'll just have to do the guided tour as well.

I wanted to check out the American Sign Museum while we were in Cincinnati and I'm glad that we did. It was really cool to check out all of the signs and read about the history of sign making. With that being said, the museum was a lot smaller than I anticipated, which is fine. We blocked off hours to check out the museum but we were there between 30-45 min. They also have a cute little gift shop at the end. If you're in the area, this museum is definitely worth checking out. They have alot of great photo ops as well if that is your thing. Enjoy!

This place is absolutely great! Recommend bringing your earbuds or headphones and plug into the audio guide. We purchased our tickets online before going in but could have purchased them at the counter as well. There was plenty of parking in a private lot. Our visit lasted 80 minutes but we took our time, taking it all in. Some of the highlights were the Large and the Small letter signs, Neon Signs, the Gold & Glass technique signs. I even learned about smalts. The Lightbulb area signs, and Main Street USA were some of my favorite areas! There were even signs still in the original shipping containers. I loved it. Such a cool visit! It was $15 per adult bit notices other pricing and discounts were offered. The supplemental guided audio tour really added to the visit and secured it as a five star experience for me!

This is my favorite spot in Cincinnati. Truly so unique and such a fun thing to pop over to if you have a free afternoon on the weekend. A super great activity to bring guests to if you have people in town visiting as well. 1-2hours there is plenty. Make sure you go ready to take plenty of pictures too! Been multiple times and will continue to go back- new items to appreciate each time and all sorts of neat tidbits of information to discover. They're also currently working on an expansion, so I imagine there will be even more to see come 2025 likely.

The American Sign Museum has got to be one of the coolest museums around! My partner and I stopped by and checked it out during a recent trip to Cincy and we're blown away. I won't go into all details as many reviewers already have but I will say that you definitely won't be disappointed! It's so cool! I absolutely recommend this museum!!

Such a cute small museum! Took one of my friends who was visiting Cincinnati here and was surprised by how much fun we had. We initially walked through the whole museum in about 20 mins and thought that was it. I HIGHLY recommend you take the tour, because that's what we did next. It was interesting and entertaining to understand the context and history for the signs. After the tour, there's an opportunity to see a demo of neon sign making in their in-house workshop. I also HIGHLY recommend doing this. The only thing I wish was that this museum was bigger, because we were left wanting more. They're planning on expanding soon though!

What a fun little gem of a place! The care that goes into these signs is incredible! What a cool idea!!

This place is so very cool. Wow! Historic signs and more modern signs too. They even have a scavenger hunt sheet and braille guidebooks and guidebooks in different languages for all guests This is a great spot for a family outing or just a fun for yourself day. Great job, Cincinnati!

Tucked away in Camp Washington, it's easy to pass up the American Sign Museum, but that would be a mistake! When they're open (check hours), the neon-lit signs outside catch your attention as you walk up to the building. Don't miss the cool painted signs around the parking lot. Inside, if all you see are the lit signs, you miss a lot, and the Museum is constantly adding to their collection. There's even a neon sign shop inside!

Our company's year end party was held at the American Sign Museum. It was a great experience from start to finish. ASM's Heather helped us plan an amazing event at an even more amazing facility. Howl2Go provided the entertainment, and my cohorts and I agreed the Sign Museum and the dueling pianos made a great combo. Whether you're looking for a cool place to visit or a place to host an event, ASM won't disappoint!!!!

Great place to visit. Please take the tour using your head phones. It will give you all the details. It will take about 45min if you take your time. its must see when in Cincinnati. checkout my link of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAcmWkiMFeQ&t=2s

Went here on a whim while trying to kill some time with the fam in Cincinnati. We had a great time. Our family loves history and nostalgia so this place was right up our alley. We spent about two hours total, including circling back to look at some of our favorites a second time.

Great experience at this small but loaded museum. It's nostalgic, informative and very bright! In the self guided tour we learned all about the evolution of signs in the US. Staff was friendly and helpful. Museum shop had cute and fun things. Whole visit was about an hour, including an overview video, which you could have listed to on your phone in a walking tour. I'd recommend if you have the time to spare

I thinks it's been about two years since I been wanting to check this place out, and i can say I finally made it!!!!!! I was exited to check it out because, neon bright signs? Yes please! The museum is honestly super small, smaller than I anticipated at least. It took us about 30 minutes to go around it. I do have to admit that they have cool, unique signs and they all have sort of story so it's peculiar. I also liked how the whole set up is very vintage, is literally like going back to 1960s or so. They have a tiny little gift shop that offers great things at great prices if you like wall decor and such. While I think is a bit to expensive, I think is worth it the visit because they do put a lot of effort into fixing this things. Check it out

A great, informative, well curated museum of the process and history of signage through the years. Absolutely worth the trip.

We have been wanting to go here since before we moved to California. On our first trip back in seven years it was a must see. And it is a must see for everyone! First, listen to what you read... bring headphones of some sort to listen to the audio tour. It is interesting and essential. We learned so much we would never have understood simply walking through. The signs in this museum are from across the country. The highlights for me was everything neon, Main Street and the room dedicated to Cincinnati signs. Brought tears to my eyes. What an amazing place. I'd go back in a heartbeat!

As a kid, I was always fascinated with neon lights. You would see them everywhere when you went downtown. Walking through this museum made me feel like I had stepped back in time. A fantastic collection of neon signs, along with a facade that simulates a small city. Would highly recommended.

Alex the tour guide was amazing! Small museum that packs a punch! Go go go!! Lots of history and visual delight!:)

I was very impressed by this sign museum and the history behind the making of the signs. I think it's definitely worth a stop if in the Cincinnati area.