Entry No. 22 — the Los Angeles file — filed under: offbeat-museum
Museum of Neon Art
The only museum in the world dedicated solely to neon, electric, and kinetic light art, rescuing the glowing signage and luminous artworks that defined mid-century Los Angeles. Rescued vintage signs and contemporary neon sculptures buzz and flicker in the dim galleries. MONA also runs the celebrated narrated Neon Cruise bus tours through the city's electric nightscape.
The story
In 1981, artists Lili Lakich and Richard Jenkins watched Los Angeles tear down its mid-century visual soul sign by sign. As bowling alleys, motels, and diners went under, massive hand-bent glass tubing charged with noble gases was being tossed into scrapyards. Lakich and Jenkins began hauling these glowing relics off demolition sites, founding the Museum of Neon Art in Downtown LA before eventually establishing its permanent home on Brand Boulevard in Glendale.
Today, it stands as the only institution on Earth dedicated strictly to neon, electric, and kinetic light art. The collection bridges salvaged mid-century commercial history and modern fine art sculpture. Rescued vintage marquees and flickering contemporary pieces don't sit quietly behind glass ropes; they fill dark galleries with radiant color, subtle warmth, and a rhythmic, high-voltage hum.
Beyond the gallery floor, MONA doubles as an active preservation hub and educational facility, offering hands-on neon-bending workshops where visitors can learn to manipulate glass tubing under blowtorches. To see the art in its native habitat, MONA also runs the Neon Cruise—a narrated, after-dark bus tour tracing surviving electric sign heritage across Los Angeles.
What it's like
Stepping off Brand Boulevard into the dimmed main gallery feels like walking into a warm, buzzing sanctuary of electric nightfall. The low hum of transformers replaces typical quiet museum hushes, and the lack of aggressive overhead lighting lets neon, argon, and krypton tubes throw vivid colors across the floor. Plan ahead: the museum operates on a concise schedule from Thursday to Sunday, and if you want to join the famous Neon Cruise night tour, book well in advance because seats sell out.
The move: Drift through the glowing galleries hand in hand, then book one of MONA's after-dark Neon Cruise bus tours for the full electric-LA experience.
📍 Before you go Closed Mon-Wed; open Thu-Sat 12-7, Sun 12-5; ~$10. The Neon Cruise bus tours run separately and sell out, so book ahead.
- 📍 Glendale
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 216 S Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91204
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Walt's Bar — Keep the retro electric energy going over cold beers and vintage pinball machines just ten minutes east in Eagle Rock.
- Revenge Of — Pair MONA's high-voltage atmosphere with another visually striking hideout—a comic shop with a sci-fi spaceship back room in Glassell Park.
- Wacko / Soap Plant & La Luz de Jesus Gallery — Follow rescued mid-century signage with lowbrow art and thousands of oddities at this iconic Los Feliz spot.
- Old LA Zoo, Griffith Park — Contrast the glowing preservation of urban signs with the quiet, abandoned concrete cages of LA's original 1912 zoo.
Good to know
When is the Museum of Neon Art open?
MONA is open Thursday through Saturday from 12 PM to 7 PM, and Sunday from 12 PM to 5 PM. It is closed Monday through Wednesday.
How much is gallery admission?
General admission is approximately $10. Separate ticketing applies for hands-on neon classes and off-site bus tours.
What is the MONA Neon Cruise?
The Neon Cruise is MONA's narrated nighttime bus tour taking riders through Los Angeles to see historic glowing signs, movie theater marquees, and architectural light features in action.
Does MONA offer neon-making classes?
Yes, MONA hosts hands-on classes where instructors teach tube-bending and the mechanics of electric light art.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: neonmona.org · Wikipedia · Yelp · laconservancy.org · store.neonmona.org
last checked: 2026-06-23