Tempe Signs

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September 14, 2023 -January 27, 2024

Exhibit Overview

Tempe Signs was an exhibit of local business signage from the permanent collection of Tempe History Museum as well as loans from other public and private collections. The exhibit showed how signs can be iconic to a community, bringing back memories of beloved businesses that are now closed, or reminding us of how the visual landscape of the city has changed. Many visitors made personal connections to past businesses and were able contemplate how Tempe has changed over time through the lens of its signage.

In addition to physical signs, the exhibit included historic sign photography on a three-screen video loop, an interactive storymap to explore signs by location, and contemporary art by local artists whose work is inspired by signs.

The Tempe Signs neon sign from the exhibit: text on left reads "Virtual Tour"

Take a virtual tour of the Tempe Signs exhibit

Exhibit Highlights

Watch a PBS interview with the Tempe Signs exhibit curators

Listen to a KJZZ story about the exhibit

Screenshot of a Tempe Sign featured in the KJZZ story

Resources

The Catalina Motel sign, seen here in 1981, inspired the Tempe Signs exhibit logo. This image is in the museum's permanent collection, and available for view in the eMuseum online database, Catalog #1992.2.546

eMuseum image showing the past and present museum

Want to explore more artifacts and photos from the museum's collection? Access the eMuseum online database.