National Neon Sign Museum

Highly recommend!! Very informative tour by the owner who is passionate about everything neon and more. Was very surprised by the quality of the collection and the history provided. Had no idea neon signs have been around for so long. And it's not just the National Neon Sign Museum that is worth seeing in The Dalles. There are roughly 32 murals located throughout the town, other museums, hiking with petroglyph drawings nearby on the Washington side (accessed by a no toll bridge), and lots of restaurants and breweries. Downtown is safe to walk around with lots of historic buildings. I will be coming back for sure!

This was a great surprise. I guess I had expected at tour around someone attic, but instead received a very interesting presentation of the beginnings of electrical generation and it use for business advertising. There were demonstrations of unlit signage and the progression of lighting used in business advertising. I will not look at business signage the same again.

David Benko is a wonderful director of the Museum. The staff was amazing! It was very informative and interesting. Our family went there with Neon lights as an interest. But I found the antiques that his family passed down the star of the show,

Oh my goodness! The museum and the host are both fascinating! I wasn't going to go in at first because I thought " How much can you learn about a sign?!" Boy was I mistaken! Very interesting and enjoyable! I can't wait to see the Ballroom when its finished with all the little shops. And the Carousel! So worth the time!

Incredible display of neon signs with a tour of the history behind the production and manufacturing of neon signs throughout time. The gentleman who owns the museum was absolutely delightful and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Highly recommend visiting the National Neon Sign Museum while in The Dalles, Oregon.

If you like neon signs, history or vintage anything, you will LOVE this museum. Lovingly put together by founder, David Benko, it follows the creation of neon signs through today. Your docent will explain the mechanics of the lights then you’ll be able to wander & photograph to your heart’s content. Massive collection. Well worth the modest admission fee. Located near the the Columbia River Gorge, make a point of seeing the museum if you’re already there to see the waterfalls.

The owner gave the best tour! He's got a great collection and there has clearly been a ton of work and care put into curating the exhibits. We had a casual interest in neon signs before going, but we learned so much in this museum that has given us a huge appreciation for the skill and history of this craft! Would highly recommend for anyone interested

The National Neon Sign Museum exceeded our expectations and is a great thing to do in the Columbia River Gorge area or on a day trip to The Dalles. The owner and the rest of the staff were really friendly and knowledgeable. The tour was interactive and educational. I would highly recommend!

The owner was super passionate about his collection and it made the whole experience even better. Just the history he has and is sharing it awesome. I've never thought much about the history or neon lights, but this definitely opened my eyes.

This was an absolutely pleasant experience. One of our favorites so far in our current travels. The movie, displays, demonstrations, the history and the one of a kind ballroom where Louis Armstrong and Doc Severinsen played, were all captivating . The cherry on top had to be our tour guides Andrea and Erika. We chatted with them like we were old friends and laughed more than we had the whole trip. Recommended two thumbs up. Don and Teresa Costa from Brookings Oregon.

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 will go back!

I loved the combination of old and new. The history was fascinating and followed a logical progression to modern commercial use of neon. I just wish we could see more of the amazing collection fully restored. Definitely worth the trip!

The owner and his son, are a wealth of knowledge and fascinating stories. Not to mention all the cool neon. Only about 10% is on display at any given time. We will definitely be back to visit again

We loved our visit here! We were lucky enough to get a tour from the owner. He was a super passionate, friendly guy that was super knowledgeable and had great stories. The downstairs was a museum and the upstairs is a very cool event space. We hope to be back in the next few years - the owner mentioned they have plans to expand. Very well worth the reasonably priced admission! They had a fun store with local goods as well. Would definitely recommend.

David's enthusiasm is so infectious even the most passively interested patron will have no choice but to enjoy the experience and his passion for Neon and all of the various history it touches makes this an unforgettable museum! Absolutely will be back.

It was very interesting. The owner was very passionate when he was giving us the tour. I would recommend stopping here for the tour. They are still working on finishing the upstairs but I think that part will be very unique when they get it finished!

The intro video should be updated but the guided tour was fantastic. So much more to besides the neon.

This museum is a labor of love for the owners the Benko family. I learned a lot about science and culture with a delightful twist- the neon signs are beautiful.

So much fun. Great visuals (video + tour) inform how neon tubes and signs are made. Then take a walk into yesteryear's most iconic neon signage over the 1st half of the 20th century.

There is a dramatic movie and tour. Highly recommended! Ample parking for RVs and cars. Dave the owner does a fantastic tour.