Ignite Sign Art Museum

Monica Hay-Cook is the woman you’ll meet when you come into Tucson’s one and only sign art museum. It is filled with some of Tucson’s coolest historic signs along with a wealth of knowledge about everything from how neon works to the history of fonts and branding.

Monica’s husband, Jude Cook, is the owner of Cook & Company Sign Makers located on Tucson boulevard. Jude and his team make and install many of the signs around Tucson. Together, Monica and Jude are avid collectors and have a passion for restoring and giving new life to old signs.

October marks one year since the opening of Ignite Sign Art Museum! The museum features tons of interactive displays to learn all about how signs function, how they’re designed, and what happens to them when they’re taken down. When walking around the museum, there is no doubt there will be signs you recognize from around town: Ordinary Bike Shop, Tucson Tamale Company, Wilko, even the 40 ft classic Arby’s sign that still lights up like the old days. The museum is perfect for families with kids and has tons of activities and buttons to press. They even have a life-size light bright where you can write a message or make your own picture!

Monica Hay-Cook is a founding member of the Sunshine Mile Business Association and has owned a shop on the Mile for many years. If you want to learn a little more about Tucson’s visual history, drop in to Ignite and talk to this great lady!