As part of QX´s celebration of LGBT+ History Month, we talk to Andrew about what’s on offer at Queer Britain Museum and how we can help it to thrive.
It’s nice to meet you Andrew. What kind of experience can visitors expect when they come to Queer Britain Museum?
Queer Britain is a museum that aims to reclaim, preserve and inspire LGBTQ+ history and culture within the UK. Through images, video and objects on display, we tell the story of LGBTQ+ activism, how our community looks after itself, and celebrates our identity, culture and creativity. Our displays currently include a statuette of feminist lesbian writer Radclyffe Hall; a letter that Sir Elton John wrote to his younger self; a display about the lesbian-led activism for the repeal of Section 28; and the original founding document for Stonewall (signed by Sir Ian McKellen and Lord Michael Cashman).
What has been your most significant achievement since the museum opened?
We now welcome around 40,000 visitors a year from across the entire UK and the world. Our hexagon wall in Gallery 1 contains visitor messages that show the full spectrum of our community and are really emotional to read as people tell us why it’s important for LGBTQ+ people to be visible.
How has the museum been affected by the ongoing cost of living crisis and funding cuts?
Queer Britain doesn’t receive any government funding, and it’s reliant entirely on donations, memberships and sponsorships to keep our doors open. We’re constantly looking to bring new companies on board as sponsors and for people to join as members. The museum operates on a ‘pay what you can’ basis for all visitors – we want to be accessible to anyone.
Is there anything that members of our community can do to help?
We’d love everyone to visit Queer Britain Museum and explore the history and creativity of our community, and when you do come, please do share your experiences on social media. You can book tickets in advance through this link, or you can pop in anytime from 12 pm – 6 pm Wednesday through to Sunday and ‘pay what you can’ on the door. Make sure you visit our gift shop as well!
What future plans are in store for Queer Britain?
We have an exciting year coming up, with four temporary exhibitions that will be announced in February, and we plan to refresh our permanent collection display. Keep an eye out on www.queerbritain.org.uk for more news very soon.
Queer Britain Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday: 12 – 6 pm (Mon and Tue: Closed) at 2 Granary Square, King’s Cross, London N1C 4BH, United Kingdom.
More LGBTQ+ History Month events….
https://www.qxmagazine.com/events/category/lgbtq-history-month
http://www.lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk
www.forumplus.org.uk/news-item/camden-islington-lgbt-history-month-2025/
