Abstract: An electroluminescent apparatus utilizes a replaceable electroluminescent element which is compressed between two electrodes that are positioned within a resealable housing which may be opened and closed so that a used electroluminescent element may be removed from between the electrodes and replaced at the end of its usable lifetime. The housing has front and rear panels associated with the respective electrodes, at least one of the panels being transparent. The apparatus may include an inflatable compressing structure, an alignment structure within the housing for alignment of the electroluminescent sheet, or transparent electrodes, and various drivers may be used allowing for monochrome or color displays. The housing may have an envelope configuration, or the electroluminescent element can have a configuration of a roll of sequential electroluminescent sheets or a tiled structure allowing for larger electroluminescent displays, within the scope of the present invention.