Visitors will get a glimpse of Vancouver’s big city lights of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s in this exhibition of the MOV’s neon sign collection. The remarkable signs, some lit for the first time since they were rescued from the junk yard, are accompanied by the tale of how the city went through a war of aesthetics that resulted in a transition of the very way Vancouver imagines itself.
In this period Vancouver had approximately 19,000 signs. While some thought they signaled glamour, excitement, and big city living, others thought it was a tawdry display that disfigured the city’s natural beauty. The result was a deep civic controversy – explored in this unique exhibition of a turning point in Vancouver’s history.
Curator: Joan Seidl
Design: Resolve Design
Photos: Rebecca Blissett and Amanda McCuaig
Related Programming
Join us for a Curator's Talk and Tour on the first Thursday of each month to get the in-depth scoop on the tension behind neon signs in Vancouver.
For Families
Pick up a self-guided tour worksheet when you purchase your admission and your family will have a great time matching shapes, finding the location of old signs, solving word jumbles, and even doing a word search!
