January 2025

Tucson, Arizona.

On our first few days in Tucson, we looked through one of the magazines provided for us to read in our apartment. The Tucson Visitors Guide suggested places to visit. In addition to the miniature museum I shared here earlier, we discovered the Ignite Sign Art Museum. The listing intrigued me. Historically, significant signs have been curated by a long-time Tucson signmaker and displayed to educate the community on the value that signage plays in our everyday lives. They also entertain visitors by offering a unique and visually entertaining experience. In addition to the historic signage, we learned a little about the art of sign making, especially in Neon and Argon.

First, a note about copyright ownership of sign art: A notice near the museum’s ticket counter indicated that photographs of signage for commercial purposes are not permitted. I asked about photos for inclusion in a blog post, noting that I derive no income from my posts and that my blog is for travel and photography interest only. The museum’s co-owner encouraged me to share the photos on social media, as my posts are not compensated in any way.

A placard near this sign read in part, “Remember when hamburgers cost 15 cents? On Fridays, Mr. Quick sold 6 cheeseburgers for $1.10. In the 1960s, approximately 300 Mr. Quick drive-ins dotted the country. Two Mr. Quick restaurants opened in Tucson during this time period, one on Oracle Road.”

In 2015, Domino’s Pizza opened at this site, and the historic sign needed to be removed. Tucson Preservation Foundation contracted Cook & Co Sign Makers to remove and save the sign. Many of the signs in their collection were documented with similar placards describing their origins.

A nearby placard tells the story of the Valencia Market’s original Art Deco neon sign, which was removed and donated to the Ignite Sign Art Museum. It highlights the sign’s historical significance, its unique aluminum construction, and the challenges of preserving it due to pigeon infestation. The Valencia Market is still in operation, and the owners considered restoring the sign, but instead opted to have it replaced. The original sign was donated to the Ignite Museum, where the staff restored its Art Deco style.

In addition to historic signage, other products of an earlier era are on display. This vintage Bendix Radio Television is an example of a company that transitioned from World War II aviation into peacetime manufacturing. Bendix, initially known for aircraft components, expanded into consumer electronics after World War II. This particular radio-television is a reminder of that era and the evolution of home entertainment.

People think Neon is the power behind the signs created using glass tubes, but Argon and other gases are also used. This interactive display tells about Neon gas and its typical production of warm colors like red and orange.

Argon gas creates a light blue glow in transparent tubes. Colored glass and phosphor coatings within the tubes can create cool and warm colors. Other interactive displays teach the science behind signage.

In addition to the museum’s rooms dedicated to signage, an outdoor area with historic signs and recreated building facades tells a more complete history of Tucson signage. The museum was the brainchild of Jude Cook, a longtime Tucson sign maker. After he retired, he decided to share some of his collection’s historic signs, and the museum became a reality in 2018.

On one of the doors leading to the outdoor museum, there is a sign depicting distances and directions to other sign museums around the country and the world. Also in the museum is an article from 2018 describing Jude Cook’s museum as being readied to open for customers.

I have barely scratched the surface in this post about Tucson’s historic signage. Hundreds of signs are on display, and you will need a couple of hours or more to visit. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday at this writing. Please check here for information on opening hours and admission.

About the photos: All images were captured with my S23U Samsung cell phone. They were processed in Adobe Lightroom Classic and Luminar Neo. AI technology was used to remove distractions in some images. You can view the pictures in 2K HD in my Flickr album here.

John Steiner