Listicles

Five must-see exhibitions at London’s Queer Britain museum this summer

Queer Britain exterior.

Queer Britain features a range of post-Pride exhibitions. (Queer Britain/Rahil Ahmad)

Queer Britain features a range of post-Pride exhibitions. (Queer Britain/Rahil Ahmad)

Pride Month has passed but support for LGBTQ+ causes and the community continues all year. 

Queer Britain, the UK’s first museum dedicated to British LGBTQ+ history and culture, located in King’s Cross, London, features a range of exhibitions that inspire and emphasise that Pride is a year-round force.

While some still view the word “queer” as derogatory, many LGBTQ+ individuals have reclaimed it, using it as an empowering and inclusive identifier.

Here are five of the museum’s must-see exhibits.

Shove a rainbow in fear’s face

Olly Alexander's Glastonbury cape.
Olly Alexander’s Glastonbury cape is on display. (Queer Britain/Rahil Ahmad)

Olly Alexander’s iconic rainbow cape is on permanent display.

The singer wore it at Glastonbury in 2019 when he gave an impassioned speech to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. 

”The only reason I’m able to be up here is because of all the people [who] have come before me, [who] have fought for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people,” he said.

In 2016, he spoke in the wake of the Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre, where 49 people were murdered, advising others to “shove a rainbow in fear’s face”.

Museum of transology 

Museum of Transology object are on shown at Queer Britain
Museum of Transology object are on show. (Queer Britain/Rahil Ahmad)

Curated by E-J Scott, this cabinet, also on permanent display, showcases objects from the Museum of Transology, celebrating trans people by using every-day objects to trace their journey through gender and transness.

Call me

Hear stories from the early days of LGBT Switchboard.
Hear stories from the early days of LGBT Switchboard. (Queer Britain/Rahil Ahmad)

If you dial the numbers on this retro landline phone, you’ll hear stories from the early days of LGBT Switchboard, told by the pioneers who answered the calls.

UK Black Pride 

Queer Britain’s summer UK Black Pride exhibition is well worth seeing.
Queer Britain’s summer UK Black Pride exhibition is well worth seeing. (Queer Britain/Rahil Ahmad)

On 10 August, London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will host the twentieth UK Black Pride. Queer Britain’s summer exhibition, which runs until 31 August, chronicles the development of the world’s largest celebration of LGBTQ+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern descent.  

‘You’re going to have a hell of a life’ 

Sir Elton John and David Furnish, patrons of Queer Britain.
Elton John and David Furnish are patrons of Queer Britain. (Queer Britain/Rahil Ahmad)

Queer Britain patron Elton John has handwritten a letter to his younger self, filled with advice. “As you get older and wiser, fight for gay rights,” he insists.

The letter includes a brilliant P.S.

Queer Britain is open from noon until 6pm on Wednesdays to Sundays. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged to support the museum.  Its shop sells a range of cards, books and souvenirs created by queer artist and business.

Advance tickets can be booked at queerbritain.org.uk  

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