THEN...

The authorities took particular interest and pride in Neon advertising in Communist Poland. In Warsaw neon signs were often used as street lighting as it was considered a cheaper and easier method of illuminating the city.

The Neons of Warsaw were designed and built by prominent state artists, graphic designers and engineers and overseen by a chief Graphic Designer, who’s job it was to approve all new signs before their implementation. This complex and lengthy bureaucratic process meant that it would often take 2-3 years to finalize any given project.

It certainly was a boom time for the neon-medium in Warsaw and Poland as a whole. This lasted until marshall law was introduced and the neons were ordered to be switched off. The streets never regained the luminous feeling again as neglect and weather inflicted permanent damage on the many signs. The neon signs from that era were certainly grand in size and bold in design. Their playfulness and folly stood out in the otherwise dark and oppressed Poland.

...NOW

Most of the neons are now gone, too expensive to maintain, too fragile, rejected and forgotten, belonging to no one.

Until, the Neon Muzeum was formed that is. Our sole mission is to conserve and protect for posterity the remaining neons of Warsaw - and indeed Poland. As these neon icons are removed from buildings in the rush to 'modernise' the city, our hope is they find their way to our permanent exhibition space for future generations to see.