The technological contributions of the French may not be fully appreciated. Certainly, the inventions of Louis Pasteur, Gustave Eiffel and Louis Braille are known worldwide, but it is the effort of one lesser-known French inventor, Georges Claude, which has made a lasting impact to the world of environmental graphic design. In 1915, Monsieur Claude was issued a U.S. patent covering the design of electrodes for neon lights.
A museum dedicated to Claude’s invention exists in the most appropriate of locations, Las Vegas. Part junkyard, part archeological dig; the museum is home to some of the most treasured signs of Las Vegas. Caesars Palace, Golden Nugget, Silver Slipper, and the Stardust are all represented in the museum’s three-acre collection. Standing amidst the remnants of Las Vegas’ colossal icons, it is wonderful to recall the extraordinary impact of neon during its heyday; and difficult to imagine what Las Vegas might have looked like without the vibrant glow of George Claude’s invention.