Name: Vintage Neon Signs
Address: Various locations, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Smilin Buddha Cabaret Neon Sign on display at Museum of Vancouver 1 768x576

Smilin Buddha Cabaret Vintage Neon Sign on display at Museum of Vancouver

Neon Sign installation at Museum of Vancouver

Chez Paris Neon Sign on display at Museum of Vancouver

1950s Neon Signs at Museum of Vancouver

Place Category: See

Category: See

Address: Various locations, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Vancouver
British Columbia
Canada

Mid-century neon signs

At one time Vancouver boasted over 19,000 neon signs.

That’s not a misprint. In 1953, Vancouver reputedly had more neon than any other city on earth, except for Shanghai.

One of the world’s leading sign manufacturers, Neon Products ltd., was based in Vancouver and led production from the 1930s through the 60s, but when values later shifted and neon signs were seen as a blight on the city’s natural beauty, by-laws were introduced which pretty much put an end to neon production by the early 1970s.

In recent years there’s been a new found appreciation for this retro art form and contemporary neon is once again being created and installed around the city, although sadly only a fraction of Vancouver’s original vintage signs remain.

The best place to see illuminated vintage neon in all its restored glory is at the Museum of Vancouver. For one-stop gawking, the museum’s permanent exhibition “Neon Vancouver, Ugly Vancouver” isn’t huge but it’s well worthwhile for fans of the genre. THIS EXHIBITION ENDED IN 2022

If you’re an urban explorer looking to see vintage neon signs in their natural environment, the Vancouver Neon Project website exhaustively lists locations for dozens of old and new signs around town.