Driving along the scenic Columbia River Gorge on I-84, you might not expect to find many of the bright, candy-colored vintage neon signs that once illuminated America’s main boulevards. But a time capsule of this craft can be found in The Dalles, Oregon, home to the National Neon Sign Museum.

Inside the museum, you’re greeted by an array of stunning classic signs from many eras, from the earliest illuminated signs following the invention of the light bulb to the first patented neon tube in 1910, and eventually to neon’s dominance as an advertising art form, attracting eyes and customers with its inviting glow, from rural diners to big-city businesses.

In 2014, retired neon sign maker Steven Benko, creator of many signs for McMenamins, had a dream of creating a museum dedicated to neon. Around that time, he learned that the historic 1910 Elks Building in The Dalles was up for sale.

Benko’s wife and museum education director, Kirsten, recalled, “We looked at the building and he had a vision immediately walking around it. The theater is gonna go here. I’m gonna have a gallery here. I’m gonna put this sign here. So that’s how we ended up in The Dalles.”

The museum opened its doors in 2017, reflecting Benko’s passion for neon and his desire to create a community hub that would also teach the classic skills and art form of neon tube bending.

The museum offers over 20,000 square feet of diverse electrified signs and interactive displays spanning the late 1800s through the 1960s.

“I believe the role the museum has in the community is fostering, bringing people together artistically.” Kirsten said. “And the output and result of being artistic and giving people opportunities is really a healthier community.”

What the Benkos never expected was that their new home, dedicated to celebrating and restoring handcrafted neon signs, would soon become the home of the original Jantzen Beach Carousel, designed and created in 1921 by renowned 20th-century carousel designer C.W. Parker. At a sweeping 67 feet in diameter and boasting 72 carved and painted wooden horses, the carousel is considered one of the largest in North America.

After many dormant years, having fallen out of service in the mid 1990s, Restore Oregon acquired the dismantled carousel in 2017 for safekeeping and placed it on its Most Endangered Places list.

In 2023, the Benkos learned that Restore Oregon was searching for a new home for the carousel, with the express mission that it be restored and brought back to public life.

Kirsten was particularly drawn to the carousel project. “It really connects with our History Center, which has always been my favorite piece of the museum. I like the craftsmanship and kind of that antiquity of things that are old but are beautiful and I loved that.”

Believing it was a perfect fit for their museum, the Benkos immediately threw their names into the hat, with the full support of the local community.

Other towns, including Astoria, were also in the running, but after many months of anxious waiting, the phone rang. Kirsten Benko remembers the voice on the other end: “Congratulations, you guys are going to have a new object in your collection. It is the Jantzen Beach Carousel.”

“I believe The Dalles is the right place for this. There are so many, uh, horse enthusiasts in The Dalles, and I think the landscape is like a mirror of where the horses should be,” Kirsten Benko said. “We’re bringing them all back to their original colors, and I feel like the backdrop is just a canvas for us to recreate this and make it something that’s going to be very spectacular for people to see.”

The museum is currently restoring the carousel, working with many residents of The Dalles who have volunteered to carefully refurbish each of the original wooden horses.

Watch Art Beat’s story on the National Neon Sign Museum for a sneak peek at all the treasures the museum has to offer. And keep tabs on the carousel’s progress on the museum’s website.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/24/the-dalles-oregon-neon-sign-musum-art-culture-americana/