Queer Britain: The National LGBTQ+ Museum Announces Opening
Queer Britain will be the UK's first LGBTQ+ museum, one of the most important museums to have launched in the UK, which will shine a light on to its communities' rich and complex history.
Not only will the space play host to a museum of permanent and temporary exhibits, it will be an essential resource for everyone to feel a part of the culture they have been born into or seek to understand. Alongside exhibitions, Queer Britain will also host a number of multifaceted spaces to be used by the LGBTQ+ community.
Given that many LGBTQ+ lives have been, and some continue to be, led in private, there is a gaping hole in British culture. Many stories have been lost, forgotten or buried and Queer Britain will preserve these vital accounts of LGBTQ+ history. Between now and the anticipated opening of the museum in 2021, Queer Britain will be collecting stories from the LGBTQ+ community nationwide and their allies to ensure these vital pieces of history are understood and celebrated for years to come.
"People came out of their closets, now it's time to come out of the margins," says Co-Founder & CEO, Joseph Galliano. "Queer Britain will be the first national museum for all, regardless of sexuality and gender identity. It will fully celebrate and reflect the lives of LGBTQ+ people of all backgrounds. It will help complete the nation's family tree."
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has also stated his support for the museum:
"As Mayor, it's so important to me that London is seen as a city where LGBTQ+ people feel valued, happy and safe - this sends a clear message to the world that London is a beacon of diversity. I look forward to the opening of the new museum and the role it will play in shining a light on LGBTQ+ history."
(l to r)Tom Daley, Dustin Lance Black and Jack Guinness at Queer Britain announcement event. (Photo: Hayley Madden)