American Sign Museum Releases 25th Anniversary Book

The American Sign Museum (ASM, Cincinnati ) is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the release of a new book that tells both the stories of signage in America and the creation of the museum: American Sign Museum. The book will be available to the public for the holiday season, according to a press release.

From its start in the basement of the Signs of the Times offices, the ASM has grown over its 25 years to a 40,000-sq. ft. facility that houses more than 100 years of signage with a collection that is the most comprehensive display of signs in the country, per the release.

Sample pages from the book.

“From an idea in founder Tod Swormstedt’s brain to the #3 Pop Culture Museum in the country, the story of the American Sign Museum is a story of ingenuity worth telling. This beautiful compilation is a wonderful celebration of the often overlooked impact signs have had on American culture,” David Dupee, ASM’s director, is quoted in the press release.

Cincinnati photographer and educator Natalie Grilli did the book’s photography. “The American Sign Museum has inspired me visually for over a decade, long before I became its neighbor, and this book feels like a marquee tribute to that influence. Working on this project was a full-circle moment, blending my love of storytelling and art with a place that buzzes with warmth like home,” Grilli is quoted in the press release.

Work on the book began in Nov. 2024 when a team was assembled to create the content of the book. Sam Roberts, the editor and publisher of BLAG (Better Letters Magazine), served as author. BLAG is the world’s only print and online publication dedicated to the signpainting trade.

More sample pages.

The book was designed by Kathy Kikkert, who specializes in book design, restaurant branding and illustration. Kikkert is the author and designer of Hollywood Signs: The Golden Age of Glittering Graphics and Glowing Neon.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Museum and the release of the book, the ASM will be hosting a VIP cocktail hour and sneak peek of the book from 5 – 7 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 20 for members and supporters of the museum. ST Assistant Editor Mildred Nguyen and I will be in attendance to help support and celebrate the museum, as well as to cover the event for our readers.

To pre-order a copy of American Sign Museum, click here.

For more information about the ASM, visit americansignmuseum.org.