Category: News
March 25: Reading Terminal Stories w/ Paul Steinke & Vinnie Iovine
NMOP Presents…Reading Terminal Stories with Paul Steinke and Vinnie Iovine
On March 25th, NMOP founder Len Davidson sat down with Paul Steinke, former manager of the historic market, now director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, as well as Vinnie Iovine, a longtime Market merchant (Iovine Brothers Produce, Molly Malloys). They took us behind the scenes of Philly’s favorite bastion of mom-and-pop commerce that dates to 1893.
Watch the Zoom recording here.
The Museum hosts events related to neon, Philly culture, and roadside America. Special offers are available to members. Become a member today.
Market photos by Gab Bonghi.
March 10: Artist Talk w/ Mason Carter, Mayor of Blendini City
On March 10th, we Zoomed a lively conversation from the Museum with NMOP special exhibition artist, Mason Carter.
NMOP Founder Len Davidson sat down with local artist Mason Carter to discuss his current exhibition: Blendini City, a Technicolor daydream of speculative urban design in which all the buildings are alive.
Artist Statement:
I came up with the idea of Blendini City in the year 2018, after falling in love with my home city Philadelphia’s architecture and mourning over too many demolished treasures. I thought to myself, “what if buildings had feelings too?” So I just started drawing neighborhoods, and I really had no idea I was going to create a whole world where I would reside as the Mayor.
Being the Mayor, even with its challenges, has been an absolute joy. That’s because I’ve set out to create a city that is well-run, a joy to live in, and offers tremendous opportunities for its people and buildings. From its thrilling transit system to its mosaic of neighborhoods, I hope I can show Blendini City as an alternative to how we think of the future city: an authentic place that celebrates the past, present, and future.
Follow Mason’s work on Instagram (@masonfromblendini) and at BlendiniMayor.com.
What’s on Our Walls? is a free virtual series presented by the Neon Museum of Philadelphia, which spotlights special exhibitions.
The Museum presents changing exhibitions of photos, paintings, sculpture, and videos related to neon, Philly culture, and roadside America. Special offers and events are available to members. Become a member today.
An Interview with Phila Weekly
NMOP founder Len Davidson spoke with Philadelphia Weekly about progress at the museum despite the pandemic, what the public can look forward to when they visit, and how they can support the museum from home.
Read the interview here.
Join us for our virtual grand opening!
We held a Virtual New Year Grand Opening on January 15, 2021.
The museum’s physical grand opening will follow later this year. In between, we’re launching virtual programs: demonstrations, conversations, art, and performances! Keep up with us here and follow us on Instagram @neonmuseumofphiladelphia.
When the museum physically opens to the public, we’ll offer an array of changing art exhibits and events: presentations on Philly commercial and neighborhood history, a daily video program, a library, lounge, and museum shop—and don’t get us started on deadbox.
Some of you have already previewed the space. We continue to invite founding members for individual, socially-distanced tours. Please use this link to become a founding member and contact us to schedule your visit.
Like any museum, we’re at our best in person. Taking a cue from classic mom and pop businesses, we look forward to seeing you face-to-face. May the new year and new space be settings for celebrating our shared humanity.
Virtual Tours & Talks in September
COVID may be keeping our doors closed to the public for the time being, but the lights are on and we’re inviting you to virtually tour the museum for the first time! Here’s a list of September events where you can catch all the action.
Wed, Sept 9 @ 8pm EDT – Society for Commercial Archaeology Zoom Event
Join the Neon Museum of Philadelphia’s founder, Len Davidson, for a night of bright Philly lights!
Davidson will show his museum virtually to SCA members as the finishing touches of the museum are being illuminated. Unable to open currently due to the pandemic, this is a unique and special opportunity to explore Philly’s historic neon signs. Davidson, the author of Vintage Neon and a longtime SCA member, brings decades of knowledge from the fabrication and restoration of famous neon in Philadelphia, and his extensive collection of old Philly signs.
During this Zoom Tour, viewers will virtually step into the museum, which contains over 80 signs from the history of Philadelphia and 20th century United States. Davidson will focus on some highlights and explain the histories and stories behind some of the artifacts.
More information on SCA can be found here. Register for the event here.
Sat, Sept 26 @ 12:30pm EDT / 9:30am PDT – Neon Speaks 2020 Festival and Symposium – Behind the Scenes: Boston and Philadelphia Neon
Len Davidson of the Neon Museum of Philadelphia has been saving and restoring vintage signs for decades. The staff at the Neon Museum of Philadelphia are ready to give a preview of their new museum, especially since COVID-19 has delayed the grand opening.
Dave and Lynn Waller of Williams Neon will take us on a virtual tour of their neon shop, warehouse and a converted fire station. This handsome collection of neon signs features whimsical and excellent sign design from mid-century to current day.
More information on Neon Speaks, including the full festival schedule, can be found here. Register for the event here.
Week of Sept 21 – The Museum of Neon Art (MONA) Digital Book Fair & Interview Series in Collaboration with Neon Speaks Festival and Symposium
MONA and Neon Speaks will bring together historians, authors, and neon enthusiasts across the world to celebrate the connective power of visual books.
Look out for MONA’s interview with NMOP’s Len Davidson about his quintessential book Vintage Neon. Author interviews will be released through MONA’s “IGTV” in the weeks leading up to the festival and symposium.
More information on MONA’s book fair can be found here.
Featured in Extant Magazine
Neon Museum of Philadelphia was featured alongside Philadelphia craftspeople in the Spring 2020 issue of Extant Magazine, published by The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia in collaboration with Hidden City Philadelphia.
Read the full article, “Attention to Detail,” by Starr Herr-Cardillo here.
Photo Credit: Peter Woodall
Len on La Salle University’s Philly Factor
Deadbox Anyone?: Moviehouse Productions Podcast
In Moviehouse Productions’s new podcast, Len talks deadbox:
“Street games like ‘deadbox’ are alive and well thanks to the encouragement of Philly’s Len Davidson. Yes, and there may be a ‘boxball game’ in a driveway near you!
Tune in, catch the excitement, and find out too about Len’s Neon Museum, scheduled for a 2020 opening…”
https://moviehouseproductions.com/2019/12/14/deadbox-anyone/
Neon Monument to Philly’s Indigenous History Glows Again
On October 14, 2019, WHYY published this feature about the preservation of a neon monument.
This public art project was designed by Duane Linklater, an indigenous Canadian artist. It was temporarily installed in Penn Treaty Park in 2017 for Mural Art’s Monument Lab city-wide art event. Len Davidson and Cohen Metals fabricated the original monument and resurrected it in October 2019 at Penn Treaty Museum. The 20’ sculpture, “In Perpetuity,” uses ruby red neon to spell out a translated quote from Chief Tamanend at the treaty of William Penn and the Lenni-Lenape nation.