Six words in the title only, and I’m also linking to Cees Photo challenge this week – Signs.
During my recent visit to Warsaw, Vivi and I visited a quirky little museum in the middle of nowhere (it seemed) in the city. It was the brainchild of a British/Polish photographer, Ilona Karwinska, who visited Warsaw in 2005, saw some of the old signs and began a photographic project to document them which culminated in a best selling book.. She and her partner, the London based graphic designer David Hill, set about saving many of the signs from destruction and eventually they set up the neon museum.
The museum is housed in an old warehouse in a complex in the southern part of the Praga district, and there were a few aged, unrestored dilapidated old signs outside. Initially, it looked a rather uninviting place, but was well worth the visit! Inside was a most informative wall explaining the history of neon in Poland and elsewhere, and a lot of old dilapidated signs in amongst restored signs.
First, a slideshow of dilapidation:
And here are some vibrant, restored signs, which are true works of graphic art:
See other people’s take on signs here.
WordsVisual 
Love these, Sue. Especially the old unrestored ones!
Best wishes, Pete.
The unrestored ones are great, aren’t they! Glad you liked these, Pete
Great gallery, Sue. Love the militant mermaid. 🙂
Thanks, Sylvia!
I want to visit the museum, but I don’t think I’ll attempt photos after this wonderful lot. Can I reblog this, and link to all your Praga et al posts please? (I’m actually asking this time: I apologise for previous liberties.)
You must visit this museum, Meg! And yes, as you have asked, I will let you reblog…..perhaps you can say something to the effect that I have kindly agreed to you reblogging! And link to various Praga posts, by all means…
Thank you, my friend.
Well, you are my friend!
These are fabulous – and how clever of them to document them with excellent photography! Thanks for sharing
Oh, there was a wonderful book that I wish I had bought….had to content myself with taking these images of the restored (and unrestored) signs in the museum…..
Those signs are astonishing. Good fortune that some of them were saved.
They certainly are, Otto…… I loved this little museum, absolutely fascinating!
great, I love signs, too
Glad you enjoyed these, Mitza!
Great post, Sue! You have really delivered past and present to us.
I must get to the museum some day…
It’s a great little place…😀
Fabulous post, Sue! You had me tap dancing around the house 🙂 🙂 (quietly, so as not to wake the other half, but tapping on carpets is fine 🙂 ) And so unlike your usual posts, with the use of galleries and even captions! Smiling 🙂 This must have been a Viveka find. Bootsie is my favourite.
Glad you enjoyed these, Jo! As for captions, I didn’t caption the second gallery as WP was playing up…..the little puss in boots was the sign for a shoe shop, the elephant a state run lottery, etc etc
I assumed you didn’t want to translate the Polish, Sue. NEVER assume! 🙂
Well, I didn’t need to translate, there were English captions! But you are right…..we should never assume!!
Oh, and the museum was a Vivi find!
Of course! Happy Sunday 🙂 (she’s having to revise Istanbul plans- this world gets no better, does it? )
And have a Happy Sunday yourself, Jo…. Yes, I had a blog conversation with Vivi re Istanbul – what kind of a world are we moving towards?
The Warsaw Mermaid rocks her new style! Love the PKP sign best of all, I want to reach out and touch it.
The PKP sign with all its flaky paint and textures was great, I agree, Gilly!
Hi Sue, I so adore your signs. 😀 Wonderful.
Glad you like them, Cee!
What an amazing place. Love these Sue!
It was a great discovery!
Great images ….. I have missed some angles I can see … it was a fantastic little place.
Thanks, Vivi…looking at your shots, I missed some angles….so between us we covered the place!
We truly did *smile
😀
Reblogged this on 12monthsinwarsaw and commented:
I’m suddenly getting a lot of help representing Warsaw. Sue’s photos of the Neon Museum which I’d never even heard of, are stunning. I plan to visit the museum, but I don’t think I’ll attempt a post. I don’t need to.
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Congratulations! I have chosen your post to be featured on Cee’s Fu Foto Challenge.
https://ceenphotography.com/2016/07/19/cees-fun-foto-challenge-tracks-trains-rail-tracks-etc/
I sure hope you have a great week!
Thanks, Cee…this went into spam, only just caught it…
Very nice signs.
Thanks! It was a great little museum
Brilliant! I love the dilapidated signs as much as the restored ones. That mermaid is an absolute star 🙂
The mermaid and the little cat!
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Totally excellent shots!
Glad you like them, Chris!
Hi Sue I love communist era art so this has made my day.
Wonderful! Glad to make your day 😀
Well you have AND glad I looked because somehow I had unfollowed – shameful! But back on board now 😳😊
Glad to have you back…I’ve missed your comments!
With a vengeance!
😀😀