 | |
 | |
| Established | May 2022 |
|---|---|
| Location | 2Granary Square,Kings Cross,London |
| Coordinates | 51°32′09″N0°07′26″W / 51.5357°N 0.1239°W /51.5357; -0.1239 |
| Type | Museum |
| Director | Andrew Given[1] |
| Curator | Jennifer Shearman[2] |
| Website | queerbritain |
Queer Britain is a museum ofBritish LGBTQ history andculture located inKings Cross,London. It is the first dedicated LGBTQ museum in the UK.[3] The museum consists of three connected galleries plus a shop and occupies the ground floor of 2Granary Square, a building owned by theArt Fund, with office and studio space on lower ground. Admission is free.[4]
Queer Britain was founded in February 2018[5] by Joseph Galliano-Doig, a former editor ofGay Times, and Ian Mehrtens.[6] It was registered as acharity in September 2019.[7] Joseph was awarded an MBE for services to Heritage, to Charity, and to Diversity and Inclusion in the 2024 New Year's Honours List.[8]
Prior to gaining its own location, Queer Britain staged occasional exhibitions in temporary locations. In 2018 it staged an exhibitionOur Naked Skin in collaboration with theSalisbury Arts Centre including a filmedoral history project, Virtually Queer.[9] In summer 2019 it staged an exhibition onChosen Family inMercer Street Showrooms,Covent Garden.[10][11]
Queer Britain opened as a physical museum on May 5, 2022, in advance of the 50th anniversary of Britain's firstgay pride march.[12] The introductory display, Welcome to Queer Britain, consisted of material from the museum's photography archive.[13] The first full exhibition, We Are Queer Britain, occupying all three galleries, opened in July.[14] The exhibition won Best Small Museum Project 2022, awarded by The Museums Association as part of their Museums Change Lives campaign.[15] When not on display, the museum's collection is housed at theBishopsgate Institute.[16]
