American Sign Museum exhibit opens at Air Force museum

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force’s newest special exhibit, “A Signmaker’s Journey,” on loan from the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, will be on display through Oct. 10. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force’s newest special exhibit, “A Signmaker’s Journey,” on loan from the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, will be on display through Oct. 10. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force has opened its newest special exhibit, “A Signmaker’s Journey,” on loan from the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati.

Located in the museum’s Kettering Hall, “A Signmaker’s Journey” features five signs demonstrating the three historically significant eras of illuminated signage – lightbulb, neon and plastics. Woven through the exhibit is the story of Joe Signmaker, a fictional character based on the life of sign painter William H. Hahn.

According to National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Exhibits Division Chief Will Haas, this exhibit is a tremendous partnership with another regional museum.

“It’s exciting to partner with the American Sign Museum and host this exhibit at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force,” said Haas, “Like us, the American Sign Museum’s mission is to preserve history and share it with the public, and we are happy to offer this unique display to our visitors for a limited time.”

“A Signmaker’s Journey” will be on display through Oct. 10.

In 2022 the museum celebrates the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force. Throughout the year it will host a variety of events and exhibits to share the history of the Air Force and the stories of Airmen with the public. A complete schedule of events and exhibits is available at www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Events/75th-anniversary/.

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the world’s largest military aviation museum. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year thousands of visitors from around the world come to the museum. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.

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