About 
The New York Sign Museum



The New York Sign Museum was established in 2019 with the intention to preserve the unique history of signage and businesses in New York City. The New York Sign Museum is a 501(c)(3) public charity.

Visitors to the collection will experience the rich history of individual expression and personal character that handmade signage embodies, as seen through the lens of the American experience including small business ownership and neighborhood-based urban living.
The NYSM team includes artists, archivists, and signage professionals. Experienced industry professionals provide sign de-installations at no cost to building or business owners, and are able to keep pieces of history from ending up in the dumpster. The foundation also offers repairs and refurbishment, tax incentives for donations, as well as a rebate program for businesses that would like to replace their old signs.

The NYSM collection is currently housed in a space adjacent to Noble Signs. At this time appointments to view the NYSM collection in person are available on a limited basis by emailing nysignmuseum@gmail.com

Noble Signs Inc., a fully insured local sign company, partners with NYSM in the deinstallation of accessioned signage.






Mission

The mission of the New York Sign Museum is to advance the understanding of New York City’s complex and iconic history of signage and sign-making by preserving premiere examples of signage that are no longer in use. 
Paying homage to the many hand-built methods found in signs across the city, the collections of NYSM serve as both an archive for educators and designers to draw from, as well as a way to experience the history of the ever-changing built environment of New York City.


Vision

The New York Sign Museum is in its early stages of building the collection and securing a collection space, but our plans for the foundation go beyond simply collecting old signs.

The goal of the New York Sign Museum is to become a resource for historians and practitioners alike, who are looking to research and experience sign-based materials and collections firsthand. 
NYSM also is a community resource for businesses and local property owners who want aid in our goal of historic preservation.

With hopes of securing a collection space that can be open to the public, the NYSM is currently looking for supporters who align with our mission. We hope that you will consider contributing to support our operations and to preserve our local history.





SupportersThe Pohanka Family Foundation
Michael Perlman

Board of DirectorsDavid Barnett
Janine Biunno
John M. Pohanka




Credits

PhotographyDavid Barnett
Phil Gordon
Frank Mastropolo
Tom Rinaldi

Branding & DesignNoble Signs

Website DesignBlakey Bessire
David Barnett
Francine Zhou

Web Development Francine Zhou