Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Shadow Room
The Museum of Lost Tales
Sherlock Holmes Statue
Sherlock Holmes Statue
South Pole Growth Chamber
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Stock up on picnic supplies with a side of history.
Horton Bay General Store
Take some of Michigan’s produce home with you.
American Spoon
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
about 17 hours ago
Cely’s map is not only accurate, but captures the unique characteristics of Congaree’s trees and waterways.
How One Biologist Drew a Hyper-Accurate, Ranger-Approved Map of Congaree National Park
2 days ago
Though they’re protected inside the park, wolves can be killed when they cross its borders.
Wolves Have a Bad Reputation. One Yellowstone Naturalist Is Trying to Fix It.
2 days ago
The community board at Rex’s Dino Store advertises all kinds of NYC-specific dino services.
We Visited the Dino Bodega in (Jurassic) Park Slope
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Glendale Museum of Neon Art

Museum of Neon Art

A one-of-a-kind collection of a unique medium.

Glendale, California

Added By
Ryan
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  notoriousFIG / Atlas Obscura User
  notoriousFIG / Atlas Obscura User
A mix of contemporary artwork and historical signage   corriesiegel / Atlas Obscura User
Historic Signs and Neon Art   corriesiegel / Atlas Obscura User
MONA exterior   corriesiegel / Atlas Obscura User
Example of restored Neon–   lf43 / Atlas Obscura User
Selections from the permanent collectioin   Avoiding Regret
Restored 1930 rooftop sign from The Brown Derby, as part of the “Hats Off to Hollywood” show   Avoiding Regret
A rescued and restored vintage sign   Avoiding Regret
Groundbreaking at the new Glendale location   Museum of Neon Art
  lomicster / Atlas Obscura User
  lomicster / Atlas Obscura User
Gift Shop   kirstenalana / Atlas Obscura User
  5tinygrapes / Atlas Obscura User
The Diver neon sign, mounted on the roof of the new Glendale location   Museum of Neon Art
Outdoor sculpture garden   Avoiding Regret
an item in the Plasma Room   kirstenalana / Atlas Obscura User
Permanent Collection Room   kirstenalana / Atlas Obscura User
Workshop and Classroom Space   kirstenalana / Atlas Obscura User
The new Glendale location   Avoiding Regret
The new Glendale storefront   Avoiding Regret
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

This one-of-a-kind museum was founded in 1981 by artists Lili Lakich and Richard Jenkins in downtown Los Angeles before moving to Glendale in 2014.

Focused on showing off the art of the unique medium of neon, the museum rotates items in its permanent collection including neon signs from the Brown Derby and Grauman's Chinese Theatre. MONA also features numerous shows with the works of up-and-coming neon artists. Classes are offered for students to learn the skills of designing and building neon sculptures. 

There's also a Plasma Room you can ask to be let into that features installations similar to a Tesla Coil but that are more varying in shape, size, and function. 

In addition to its continuously changing exhibits, the museum also sponsors nighttime bus tours of historic neon signs in the area. The museum opened in its Glendale location as part of the city’s plans for a dedicated Cultural Arts District. The intention is that will encompass the area from Colorado Boulevard northward to the Alex Theater. MONA was Glendale’s first art museum. It has art exhibits, and a terrific gift shop, hosts classes, and frequently updates its lobby displays.

Related Tags

Museums And Collections Outsider Art Museums Neon Collections Electrical Oddities Retro Tech

Community Contributors

Added By

Genki

Edited By

Avoiding Regret, kirstenalana, Craig Baker, doubleplusungood...

  • Avoiding Regret
  • kirstenalana
  • Craig Baker
  • doubleplusungood
  • notoriousFIG
  • lf43
  • 5tinygrapes
  • lomicster
  • corriesiegel

Published

January 17, 2010

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.avoidingregret.com/2015/12/photo-essay-behold-museum-of-neon-art.html
  • http://www.avoidingregret.com/2016/08/photo-essay-hats-off-to-museum-of-neon.html
Museum of Neon Art
216 S Brand Blvd
Glendale, California, 91204
United States
34.143754, -118.25466
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Tropico Post Office

Glendale, California

miles away

Vintage Arcade Superstore

Glendale, California

miles away

Adams Square Mini Park

Glendale, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Glendale

Glendale

California

Places 7

Nearby Places

Tropico Post Office

Glendale, California

miles away

Vintage Arcade Superstore

Glendale, California

miles away

Adams Square Mini Park

Glendale, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Glendale

Glendale

California

Places 7

Related Stories and Lists

Revisiting the Heyday of California's 'Crazy' Novelty Architecture

architecture

By Jessica Leigh Hester

The Vanishing World of Neon Motel Signs

roadside attractions

By Aïda Amer

The World's Most Unusual Displays of Neon

List

By Ike Allen

Related Places

  • Cincinnati, Ohio

    American Sign Museum

    Where beautiful signs live on forever.

  • Asbury Park, New Jersey

    Silverball Museum Arcade

    A reservoir of vintage pinball machines and arcade games for the nostalgic and thrill seeking.

  • Photo by James Woodcock.

    Bozeman, Montana

    American Computer Museum

    See the computer’s history revealed over the course of 20,000 years.

  • Ilana Goor Museum .

    Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel

    Ilana Goor Museum

    A modern-day cabinet of curiosities housed in a 300-year-old inn.

  • Kiosks on display.

    Stoke Heath, England

    National Telephone Kiosk Collection

    An ode to the classic piece of British street furniture.

  • Los Angeles, California

    Valley Relics Museum

    One man's vast collection of artifacts and ephemera from matchbooks and postcards to vintage neon signs and cars.

  • The Button King

    Bishopville, South Carolina

    The Button Museum

    A hobby born from insomnia has turned into a hangar full of objects that have been be-buttoned by the Button King.

  • Exhibit in the Zeppelin Museum

    Friedrichshafen, Germany

    Zeppelin Museum

    Enter the cabin of a life-sized Hindenburg replica.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.