National Neon Signs walked into the abandoned Elks Temple in The Dalles, Oregon, in 2010, he knew he had found the perfect home for his collection of neon signs. The building was empty, but Benko saw the potential to create a world-class museum, complete with a basement where visitors can learn to repair and build their own neon tubes.

Neon lighting became a popular advertising medium during the 1930s. By the 1950s, it was ubiquitous, lighting up major cities across America. But during World War II, many of those signs were turned off as city officials sought to prevent attacks on population centers. Some were never turned back on.

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As the lights went dark, neon lost some of its luster. Its association with gambling and strip clubs began to tarnish its reputation. And as newer products, such as LEDs, became available for commercial signage, neon fell out of favor.

In the past, sign makers painstakingly bent tubes of glass by hand, often using a heat gun or burner. They then drilled holes in the ends, evacuated the tube of air, and painted or tinted the insides to allow for different color combinations.

Now, with the help of the foundation, which has received support from local government and businesses, workers restore original neon signs for a living. Jude Cook, owner of a sign company that has done many restorations, moistens a frame to show a visitor how much paint he sanded off to find its original color. He believes old neon has a “character, a feel” that modern signs can’t replicate.