Colourful neon was once a feature of Budapest, advertising shops and products all over the city. Gradually, they were replaced, some of the signs abandoned or snapped up by private collectors. Now two urban activitists, Luca Patkós and Tamás Racskó, are looking for funds to finance the creation of a neon museum on one of the city’s firewalls. If enough people chip in, the City will also back the project, and this essential part of the urban fabric will not be lost. See how you can contribute below!
In 2021, neon activists Luca Patkós and Tamás Racskó organised a petition to encourage the City to take care of all the remaining neon they had accumulated. They see this as the last chance to save the signs from ending up in landfills or in the hands of private collectors. Their initiative generated more than 1,000 signatures.
Since then, negotiations between Luca, Tamás and the City have resulted in the idea of a Neon Wall Museum.
This would allow anyone to see the last remaining neon in the capital. The exhibition would display several dozen small and medium-sized neon lights on a Budapest firewall.
The idea was submitted to the 2022 community programme, which allows citizens to propose the use of a certain amount from the City budget. If enough people from Budapest support the initiative, the capital would contribute around 50 million forints to the creation of the Neon Wall Museum.
The project can be supported by voting in the Open Budapest category via this link. Click the yellow button Szavazok and ask a Hungarian friend to help with any other details required.
