Free Museum Day
Apr
3
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation our 2024 Lead Sponsor. Click here to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

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Living History: Celebrating 39 Years at the GLBT Historical Society & New Work by Marcel Pardo Ariza
Apr
3
5:00 PM17:00

Living History: Celebrating 39 Years at the GLBT Historical Society & New Work by Marcel Pardo Ariza

Join us for a fabulous night to celebrate two milestones: the GLBT Historical Society’s 39th anniversary, and the opening of All the Nights We Got to Dance, a new piece of multimedia art by acclaimed artist Marcel Pardo Ariza based on research at the GLBT Historical Society’s archives. The event will include brief remarks, a raffle with rare prizes from the GLBT Historical Society, as well as complimentary drinks and small bites provided by the incredible team at the LINE San Francisco.

This event is both a tribute to the past and an invitation to be a part of the future, as we continue to preserve and share our vast queer past.


Admission

Tickets start at $20 for members and $35 for non-members. RSVP and purchase tickets here.

NOTE: All ticket levels provide full access to the event. Tickets at the Enthusiast level and above help to support discounted admission and support our work to preserve and share LGBTQ history.

Location

The LINE San Francisco, Dark Bar (1st floor)

33 Turk Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

About the GLBT Historical Society

Founded in 1985, the GLBT Historical Society is recognized internationally as a leader in the field of LGBTQ public history. The Society’s archives hold one of the largest collections of LGBTQ historic materials ever assembled and connects tens of thousands of people with their history every year through our museum, archives, and public events.

About All the Nights We Got to Dance

All the Nights We Got to Dance is a multimedia site-specific installation that celebrates historical places that have shaped queer nightlife in San Francisco. It’s an homage to the Compton's Cafeteria Riots, as well as the bars and clubs that have marked the queer and trans history of San Francisco. Many of these special venues have closed due to high rent prices and gentrification, and this piece brings all the spirits, kisses, dances, cruising encounters that took place inside these places. May we all remember all the nights we got to dance here, there, together in the Transgender District of San Francisco.

About Marcel Pardo Ariza

Marcel Pardo Ariza (b. Bogotá, Colombia) (they/them) is a trans visual artist, educator and curator who explores the relationship between queer and trans kinship through constructed photographs, site-specific installations and public programming. Their work is rooted in close dialogue and collaboration with trans, non-binary and queer friends and peers, most of whom are performers, artists, educators, policymakers, and community organizers. Their practice celebrates collective care and intergenerational connection. Their work is invested in creating long term interdisciplinary collaborations and opportunities that are non-hierarchical and equitable.

Their work has recently been exhibited at the McEvoy Foundation for the Arts; Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; Palo Alto Art Center; San Francisco Arts Commission Galleries; Yerba Buena Center for the Arts; Palm Springs Art Museum; and the Institute of Contemporary Art San José. Ariza is the recipient of the 2022 SFMOMA SECA Award, the 2021 CAC Established Artists Award; the 2020 San Francisco Artadia Award; 2018-19 Alternative Exposure Grant; 2017 Tosa Studio Award; and a 2015 Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Award. Ariza is a studio member at Minnesota Street Project, and the co-founder of Art Handlxrs*, an organization supporting queer, BIPOC, women, trans and non-binary folks in professional arts industry support roles. They are currently a lecturer at California College of the Arts and San Francisco State University, and based in Oakland, CA.

 

Join the GLBT Historical Society

Become a member of the GLBT Historical Society for discounted access to this event, and free access to our museum and educational programming all year long.

Photo Credits

Event photo: José Sarria performing at the Black Cate Cafe, 1950s, José Sarria papers (1996-01), GLBT Historical Society. Photo of Marcel Pardo Ariza courtesy of same.

This artwork and event were supported, in part, through funds from the San Francisco Arts Commission.

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Film Screening | Gay Power, Gay Politics: 44 Years Later
Apr
4
6:00 PM18:00

Film Screening | Gay Power, Gay Politics: 44 Years Later

LOCATION

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

ADMISSION

$10.00 | Free for members

RSVP and purchase tickets here

In 1980, documentary series CBS Reports broadcast an episode called “Gay Power, Gay Politics.” Although CBS described the program as a report on the growing influence of the LGBTQ community in San Francisco politics, the show was so biased that the National News Council, a media watchdog organization, found that the CBS show misled viewers and violated journalistic standards. After widespread outrage, CBS apologized on air. Media historians recognize it as the first public apology for distorted coverage of gays and lesbians by a national news organization and a major turning point in coverage throughout the media. Biased coverage still abounds. What are the lessons for today?

This event will screen the entire, unedited broadcast, followed by a discussion reflecting on the circumstances of how the show came to be, the response from the LGBTQ community and journalist Randy Alfred’s 20-page complaint filed to the National News Council that led to CBS’s 1980 apology. This event will chart the evolution of coverage of LGBTQ people in the media and how journalistic methods have changed in regards to our community.


Speakers

Randy Alfred (he/him) was twice editor of the S.F. Sentinel and co-founded the San Francisco Bay Times. He produced and hosted KSAN's public-affairs radio show The Gay Life from 1979 to 1984. He was a founding member of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists and entered its Hall of Fame in 2015. Randy’s work has also appeared in Sports Illustrated, S.F. Focus, S.F. Examiner, S.F. Chronicle, Oakland Tribune, Might, Washingtonian, Alternet, Berkeley Barb, New West, Book News, The Book of Lists #2, Whole Earth Catalog, Coevolution Quarterly, California magazine, Austin Sun, S.F. Bay Guardian, 48 Hills and Wired. He was editor of the Wired book Mad Science: Einstein's Fridge, Dewar's Flask, Mach's Speed, and 362 Other Inventions and Discoveries that Made Our World.

 

Myron Caringal (he/they) is a multimedia journalist with a passion for digital and audience engagement. While attending San Francisco State University, he received multiple awards including a Hearst Award for his multimedia story on cruising culture in the LGBTQ+ community. His work has also been honored by the Associated Collegiate Press and the College Media Association. Myron previously served as an Audience Development Intern with the San Francisco NPR station KQED and is now with Business Insider's audience team as a Social Video Fellow through NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists.

Location

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114


Admission

Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. This event will likely sell out, so guests are encouraged to reserve their tickets early. Tickets are available here.

Join the GLBT Historical Society

Become a member of the GLBT Historical Society for free museum and program admission, discounts in the museum shop and other perks throughout the year.

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Opening Reception | You Are Here: Claiming your place in history
Apr
11
7:00 PM19:00

Opening Reception | You Are Here: Claiming your place in history

LOCATION

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

ADMISSION

$10.00 | Free for members

RSVP and purchase tickets here


EXHIBITION INFORMATION

For hundreds of years, small minded groups have sought to erase LGBTQ people from the landscape and to write us out of history. At the same time as our enemies have sought to erase us, we have kept our stories alive for each other. Shared through oral traditions, hidden in plain sight through codes and secret languages, and carefully passed down from generation-to-generation we have kept our stories alive for centuries.


You Are Here is an intentionally incomplete exhibition, offering a timeline of some important moments in LGBTQ history, and the work to preserve those stories. Visitors are invited to share a memory they want to live on by adding them to the timeline, help us imagine what comes next by declaring a hope for the future.


This exhibition is made possible with support from Larry Brenner and Angelo Figone, and the San Francisco Arts Commission.


You Are Here opens Thursday, April 11. Click here for more information about the exhibition.


Admission

Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. This event will likely sell out, so guests are encouraged to reserve their tickets early.

Join the GLBT Historical Society

Become a member of the GLBT Historical Society for free museum and program admission, discounts in the museum shop and other perks throughout the year.


Photo Credits: Harvey Milk addressing crowd from the stage at the 1978 San Francisco Gay Day Parade; photograph by Marie Ueda, Marie Ueda Collection (2006-12)

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Free Museum Day
May
1
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation our 2024 Lead Sponsor. Click here to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

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Free Museum Day
Jun
5
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation our 2024 Lead Sponsor. Click here to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

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Archives for Educators
Mar
19
6:00 PM18:00

Archives for Educators

LOCATION

Online (through Zoom)

ADMISSION

Free for all, reserve your ticket here

Are you an educator who wants to engage with LGBTQ archival material in your classroom and curricula? The staff of the GLBT Historical Society’s Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives & Special Collections invites you to a virtual event on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 6pm PT.

We’ll discuss how you can use our extensive collections, including digitized primary sources, for your classroom. We’ll provide guidance on resources available for K-12 educators looking to incorporate LGBTQ topics into their classes, including lesson plans, sample assignments, and source sets. This event will give educators for all levels tools to incorporate queer historical material into your work.

This is the second of two public events. The first event focused on Archives for Artists. This event series is supported by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

Speakers

Kelsi Evans, Director, Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives & Special Collections

Kelsi Evans is an experienced archivist who has worked in a variety of collecting institutions. Prior to her role with the Society, she worked on the AIDS History Project at the University of California, San Francisco Archives and Special Collections and managed archival projects at the Fales Library of New York University, the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami, and the Foundation for Landscape Studies. Kelsi holds an M.A. in archives and public history from New York University and an M.A. in history from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is active in professional organizations, including the Society of California Archivists and the Society of American Archivists.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Isaac Fellman, Reference Archivist

Isaac Fellman has worked in archives at the California Historical Society, the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Oregon Health and Science University. He earned his MLS from Emporia State University and his M.A. in English from the University of Oregon. Isaac is also a Lambda Literary Award-winning writer.

Pronouns: he/him/his

Devin McGeehan Muchmore, Project Archivist

As Project Archivist, Devin McGeehan Muchmore contributes to archival processing, digitization, public outreach, and grants administration. Prior to joining the GLBT Historical Society, he worked at the Labor Archives and Research Center at San Francisco State University and the Hoover Institution Library and Archives. He holds an M.S. in Library and Information Science from Simmons University and a Ph.D. in American Studies from Yale University.

Pronouns: he/him/his


Location

This event will be held virtually. A Zoom link and details will be sent upon registration.


Admission

Free admission.


Join the GLBT Historical Society

Become a member of the GLBT Historical Society for free museum and program admission, discounts in the museum shop and other perks throughout the year.

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Author Talk | Let The Record Show: An Evening with Sarah Schulman
Mar
13
6:00 PM18:00

Author Talk | Let The Record Show: An Evening with Sarah Schulman

LOCATION

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

ADMISSION

$10.00 | Free for members

RSVP and purchase tickets here

In just six years, ACT UP New York, a broad and unlikely coalition of activists from all races, genders, sexualities, and backgrounds, changed the world. Armed with rancor, desperation, intelligence, and creativity, it took on the AIDS crisis with an indefatigable, ingenious, and multifaceted attack on the corporations, institutions, governments, and individuals who stood in the way of AIDS treatment for all. They stormed the FDA and NIH in Washington, DC, and started needle exchange programs in New York; they took over Grand Central Terminal and fought to change the legal definition of AIDS to include women; they transformed the American insurance industry, weaponized art and advertising to push their agenda, and battled—and beat—The New York Times, the Catholic Church, and the pharmaceutical industry. Their activism, in its complex and intersectional power, transformed the lives of people with AIDS and the bigoted society that had abandoned them.

Join the GLBT Historical Society and Fabulosa Books in hosting Sarah Schulman for an author talk and reading from Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993. Based on more than two hundred interviews with ACT UP members and rich with lessons for today’s activists, Let the Record Show is a revelatory exploration—and long-overdue reassessment—of the coalition’s inner workings, conflicts, achievements, and ultimate fracture. Schulman, one of the most revered queer writers and thinkers of her generation, explores the how and the why, examining, with her characteristic rigor and bite, how a group of desperate outcasts changed America forever, and in the process created a livable future for generations of people across the world.

Schulman will be joined by former GLBT Historical Society Board Chair and former Secretary of ACT UP San Francisco, Lito Sandoval, for an audience Q&A, followed by a book signing. Copies of Let the Record Show will be available for purchase through Fabulosa Books.

Speakers

Sarah Schulman (she/her) is the author of more than twenty works of fiction (including The Cosmopolitans, Rat Bohemia, and Maggie Terry), nonfiction (including Stagestruck, Conflict is Not Abuse, and The Gentrification of the Mind), and theater (Carson McCullers, Manic Flight Reaction, and more), and the producer and screenwriter of several feature films (The Owls, Mommy Is Coming, and United in Anger, among others). Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Slate, and many other outlets. She is Endowed Chair in Creative Writing at Northwestern University, a Distinguished Professor of Humanities at College of Staten Island, a Fellow at the New York Institute of Humanities, the recipient of multiple fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and the New York Foundation for the Arts, and was presented in 2018 with Publishing Triangle's Bill Whitehead Award. She is also the cofounder of the MIX New York LGBT Experimental Film and Video Festival, and the co-director of the groundbreaking ACT UP Oral History Project. A lifelong New Yorker, she is a longtime activist for queer rights and female empowerment, and serves on the advisory board of Jewish Voice for Peace.


Lito Sandoval
(he/him) has served on many nonprofit boards in the Latino and LGBTQ communities, including as the former Chair of the GLBT Historical Society. He is a former President of the San Francisco Latino Democratic Club andwas a former Secretary of ACT UP San Francisco. Lito’s essay “I Love You Alto” appears in the anthology Virgins, Guerrillas y Locas: Gay Latinos Writing on Love (Cleis Press, 1999). He also founded the Queer Latinx Social Club.

Location

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114


Admission

Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. This event will likely sell out, so guests are encouraged to reserve their tickets early. Tickets are available here.

Join the GLBT Historical Society

Become a member of the GLBT Historical Society for free museum and program admission, discounts in the museum shop and other perks throughout the year.

Photo Credits: Photo of Sarah Schulman, credit Drew Stevens. Let the Record Show cover art, courtesy of Picador.

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Free Museum Day
Mar
6
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.

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Free Museum Day
Feb
14
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

  • GLBT Historical Society Museum (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Join us for an extra special free museum day as we celebrate LGBTQ love! In addition to free access, museum attendees can enjoy complimentary candy while learning about some of the individuals and couples who changed history.

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors one day per month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.

Photo: Cora Latz and Etta Perkins papers (2003-43), GLBT Historical Society.

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API Family Wall of Pride | Opening Reception
Jan
19
6:30 PM18:30

API Family Wall of Pride | Opening Reception

LOCATION

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

ADMISSION

$10.00 | Free for members

RSVP and purchase tickets here

Curated in collaboration with Asian and Pacific Islander Family Pride, the Wall of Pride exhibition invites visitors to dive into stories from parents and families who, through their courage and faith, reclaimed the strong family ties and proud sense of interdependence so characteristic of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) families.

This exhibition showcases stories of pride and acceptance from a diverse array of families. The Wall of Pride honors parents and families who unconditionally love their children regardless of social stigma. 

We hope this exhibition serves as a beacon of hope for those living in unwelcoming environments, and as a resource for those looking to connect to their community. In addition to stories from welcoming families, this exhibition includes a resource center with information about local organizations that serve API LGBTQ+ communities.

This exhibition opens Friday, January 19 and will remain on display through summer 2024. Click here for more information about the exhibition.


About API Family Pride

This exhibition was curated in partnership with Asian and Pacific Islander Family Pride. The mission of Asian and Pacific Islander Family Pride is to end the isolation of Asian and Pacific Islander families with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members though support, education, and dialog.

Special thanks to Belinda and John Dronkers-Laureta for their curatorial support.


Location

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114


Admission

Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. This event will likely sell out, so guests are encouraged to reserve their tickets early. Tickets are available here.


Join the GLBT Historical Society

Become a member of the GLBT Historical Society for free museum and program admission, discounts in the museum shop and other perks throughout the year.

Photo Credits: Contributors to the Asian Pacific Islander Family Wall of Pride; photo used with permission.

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Free Museum Day
Jan
3
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.

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Free Museum Access for AHA Annual Meeting Attendees
Jan
3
to Jan 7

Free Museum Access for AHA Annual Meeting Attendees

  • GLBT Historical Society Museum (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The GLBT Historical Society is free for all AHA Annual Meeting attendees from January 3-7, 2024, thanks to the generous support of Gale.

Gale, part of Cengage Group, partners with librarians and educators around the world to connect learners to essential content through user-friendly technology that enhances experiences and improves learning outcomes. For more than 65 years, Gale has collaborated with academic institutions, schools, and public libraries around the world to empower the discovery of knowledge and insights that push the boundaries of traditional research and advance learners in all areas of life. Learn more at https://www.gale.com.

Current displays include the only known remnant of the original rainbow flags, and more than a century of incredible LGBTQ history, from the every day to the extravagant.

Attendees at the AHA Annual Meeting can show their badge or conference registration at the reception desk for free admission during the conference. Regular priced admission will be available during the conference.

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Free Museum Day
Dec
6
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

  • GLBT Historical Society Museum (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.

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No Straight Lines: Making Queer Comics & Zines
Nov
2
6:00 PM18:00

No Straight Lines: Making Queer Comics & Zines

Join visual artists Ajuan Mance and Rhea Ewing for a workshop with the GLBT Historical Society diving into the power of showcasing queer stories and culture via comics. Utilizing themes of identity, community, and queer culture explored in our latest exhibition, Curve Magazine Cartoons: A Dyke Strippers’ Retrospective, participants will be introduced to the basics of creating autobiographical and personally resonant comic strips and zines using accessible materials. This event will begin with a conversation between our two speakers on their own experiences and work in the medium, and then will move into an interactive DIY workshop inviting LGBTQ+ people to create short memoir comics about themselves, their lives, their experiences and memories.

This event is co-sponsored by The Curve Foundation and Bay Area Queer Zine Fest.

SPEAKERS

Ajuan Mance (she/they) is a Professor of English at Mills College and an instructor in the Illustration and Comics programs at California College of the Arts. Ajuan’s comics have appeared in several anthologies, including the award-winning We’re Still Here, Drawing Power, and Menopause: A Comic Treatment. Ajuan is the author and illustrator of 1001 Black Men: Portraits of Masculinity at the Intersections (Stacked Decked Press), Living While Black: Portraits of Everyday Resistance (Chronicle Books), and the upcoming picture book What Do Brothas Do All Day (Chronicle Books) due out on November 14, 2023).


Rhea Ewing (they/them) is the award-winning artist and author behind FINE: a comic about gender. Rhea has been making comics since 2005 and has always found inspiration both in their queer community and in the wonder and diversity of the natural world. From their perspective, art and science are two sides of the same coin. Both require deep curiosity, a willingness to question, and a need to make meaning of the universe.


LOCATION

This event will be at the GLBT Historical Society Museum.

ADMISSION

$10.00 | Free for Members


Headshot of Ajuan Mance by Cassandra Falby. Headshot of Rhea Ewing, photo courtesy of same.

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Free Museum Day
Nov
1
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

  • GLBT Historical Society Museum (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.

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Free Museum Day, sponsored by the Civic Joy Fund
Oct
28
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day, sponsored by the Civic Joy Fund

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on Saturday, October 28th. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Civic Joy Fund.

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Archives for Artists
Oct
24
6:00 PM18:00

Archives for Artists

Are you an artist, performer, writer or other creator who wants to engage with LGBTQ archival material in your work? The staff of the GLBT Historical Society’s Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives & Special Collections invites you to a virtual event on October 24th at 6pm PST. We’ll discuss how you can search our extensive collections, including digitized photographs, activist newsletters, oral histories, paintings, drag, and other materials, for your next project. We’ll also answer common questions about copyright, reproductions, and licensing. This event will give you the tools to incorporate historical material into your creative work.

This is the first of two public events. The second event will focus on archives for educators. This event series is supported by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

SPEAKERS

Kelsi Evans, Director, Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives & Special Collections

Kelsi Evans is an experienced archivist who has worked in a variety of collecting institutions. Prior to her role with the Society, she worked on the AIDS History Project at the University of California, San Francisco Archives and Special Collections and managed archival projects at the Fales Library of New York University, the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami, and the Foundation for Landscape Studies. Kelsi holds an M.A. in archives and public history from New York University and an M.A. in history from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is active in professional organizations, including the Society of California Archivists and the Society of American Archivists.

Pronouns: she/her/hers


Isaac Fellman, Reference Archivist

Isaac Fellman has worked in archives at the California Historical Society, the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Oregon Health and Science University. He earned his MLS from Emporia State University and his M.A. in English from the University of Oregon. Isaac is also a Lambda Literary Award-winning writer.

Pronouns: he/him/his


Devin MGeehan Muchmore, Project Archivist

As Project Archivist, Devin McGeehan Muchmore contributes to archival processing, digitization, public outreach, and grants administration. Prior to joining the GLBT Historical Society, he worked at the Labor Archives and Research Center at San Francisco State University and the Hoover Institution Library and Archives. He holds an M.S. in Library and Information Science from Simmons University and a Ph.D. in American Studies from Yale University.

Pronouns: he/him/his


LOCATION

This event will be held on Zoom. The login link will be sent upon registration.


ADMISSION

Free

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Free Museum Access for Lesbians Who Tech Attendees
Oct
20
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Access for Lesbians Who Tech Attendees

The GLBT Historical Society is free for all Lesbians Who Tech attendees from October 18 - 20th, thanks to the generous support of Snapchat.

Experience more than a century of incredible LGBTQ history, from the every day to the extravagant. Current displays include the only known remnant of the original rainbow flags, a look at San Francisco's lost queer neighborhoods, new exhibitions about Curve Magazine and drag artist Doris Fish, and so much more!

Lesbians Who Tech attendees can show their badge at the reception desk for free admission during the conference. Regular priced admission will be available during the conference. Note: the museum will be closing at 3PM on October 18 - 20th for a private event.

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Free Museum Access for Lesbians Who Tech Attendees
Oct
19
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Access for Lesbians Who Tech Attendees

The GLBT Historical Society is free for all Lesbians Who Tech attendees from October 18 - 20th, thanks to the generous support of Snapchat.

Experience more than a century of incredible LGBTQ history, from the every day to the extravagant. Current displays include the only known remnant of the original rainbow flags, a look at San Francisco's lost queer neighborhoods, new exhibitions about Curve Magazine and drag artist Doris Fish, and so much more!

Lesbians Who Tech attendees can show their badge at the reception desk for free admission during the conference. Regular priced admission will be available during the conference. Note: the museum will be closing at 3PM on October 18 - 20th for a private event.

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Free Museum Access for Lesbians Who Tech Attendees
Oct
18
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Access for Lesbians Who Tech Attendees

  • GLBT Historical Society Museum (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The GLBT Historical Society is free for all Lesbians Who Tech attendees from October 18 - 20th, thanks to the generous support of Snapchat.

Experience more than a century of incredible LGBTQ history, from the every day to the extravagant. Current displays include the only known remnant of the original rainbow flags, a look at San Francisco's lost queer neighborhoods, new exhibitions about Curve Magazine and drag artist Doris Fish, and so much more!

Lesbians Who Tech attendees can show their badge at the reception desk for free admission during the conference. Regular priced admission will be available during the conference. Note: the museum will be closing at 3PM on October 18 - 20th for a private event.

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Reunion: The GLBT Historical Society 2023 Gala
Oct
14
6:00 PM18:00

Reunion: The GLBT Historical Society 2023 Gala

Location

Marines' Memorial Club & Hotel

609 Sutter Street

San Francisco, CA 94102

About Reunion

Reunion is the GLBT Historical Society’s annual Gala, where we gather to celebrate our vast queer past, honor the history makers who move our communities forward, and raise funds to keep LGBTQ history alive.

Reunion will include a cocktail reception, awards presentations, a silent auction, and the opportunity to connect with a wide range of LGBTQ history supporters.

For complete information about Reunion, click here.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Click here for more information.

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Dialogue of Inclusivity: Exploring the LGBTQ+ Histories of Zurich and SF
Oct
5
10:15 AM10:15

Dialogue of Inclusivity: Exploring the LGBTQ+ Histories of Zurich and SF

Join us for an important and introspective conversation on LGBTQ+ histories with Zurich Mayor Corine Mauch at the GLBT Historical Society Museum in the Castro. At 10:15 AM on Thursday, October 5, Mayor Mauch will hold an insightful on-stage discussion about her personal experience with LGBTQ+ topics as well as about the history of the Queer scene in Zurich and its evolution to the current day. This event will also serve as a chance to explore how Zurich and San Francisco can further share their commitment to fostering diverse and welcoming communities within their cities.

This event is part of a larger celebration marking 20 years of the San Francisco-Zurich sister city partnership. To join us in the celebrations and discover the full range of our 20th anniversary events, please click here to visit the Swiss Impact website.

Click here to reserve your free ticket.


SPEAKERS

Mayor Corine Mauch

Corine Mauch has been the Mayor of Zürich since March 2009. She is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SP) and was a member of the City Parliament from 1999 to 2009, where she also held the posts of Vice President and President of the SP municipal parliamentary party from 2002 to 2009, and where she was President of the Parliament’s Audit Committee from 2006 to 2008. Corine Mauch holds a diploma in agricultural engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), studied Chinese Studies at the University of Zurich, and completed a postgraduate Master's in Political and Administrative Sciences at the University of Lausanne/IDHEAP. The Mayor's Department includes the Residents' Office, the Zurich City Archives, the Statistics Office, the Cultural Affairs Office, and the Office for Urban Development, which consists of City and Neighborhood Development, Integration, Economic Development, Foreign Affairs, and Smart City. Also falling within the department’s responsibilities are the promotion of gender equality as well as the equality of people with disabilities.

Pronouns: she/her/hers


Supervisor Rafael Mandelman

Supervisor Mandelman represents District 8 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. District 8 includes the Castro, Glen Park, Noe Valley, Diamond Heights, Mission Dolores, and Cole Valley. Supervisor Mandelman is one of the LGBTQ members of the Board of Supervisors, and throughout his first term, was one of the only LGBTQ Supervisors in Northern California. During his time on the Board, Supervisor Mandelman has been a champion for the LGBTQ+ community, leading the City’s efforts to implement Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) data collection, authoring legislation to create the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District, declaring the Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band the official band of San Francisco, and ending the decades-long ban on bathhouses in San Francisco. Supervisor Mandelman worked with Mayor Breed, the Department of Public Health, and community stakeholders to keep the Lyon-Martin clinic open through the COVID-19 pandemic, and then secured more than $2 million to help the City’s most important provider of trans and gender nonconforming affirming healthcare transition to becoming an independent clinic. As Vice-Chair of the Budget Committee, Supervisor Mandelman fought for funding in the 2024-2025 budget for housing subsidies to support adults and seniors living with HIV, safety infrastructure grants for LGBTQ organizations, and a significant expansion of transgender healthcare services. In 2020-21, he secured funding to open 28 new beds at Jazzie’s Place shelter for trans and gender nonconforming unhoused people, and to support organizations in the Castro that serve LGBTQ youth and create more BIPOC-welcoming spaces in the neighborhood. In 2020, he initiated the historic landmarking process for the longtime home of LGBTQ civil rights leaders Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, and is committed to expanding the number of LGBTQ cultural sites included in the City’s list of historic landmarks.

Pronouns: he/him/his


Natalia Guecheva

Natalia is a production manager for events with a personal affinity for arts, performances, and civic engagement. She has a successful track record in managing a unique range of programs and events in San Francisco and Zurich. For many years, she worked for the SWISS FILMS foundation, organizing the Swiss Film Prize and the Swiss Cinema Day at the Film Festival Locarno. Natalia was born in Geneva, Switzerland and has a Master’s Degree in media science, cinema science, and criminology from the University of Zurich. Since autumn 2010, she has lived on and off in San Francisco and enjoys the rich diversity of the people and cultural events in the city. She strongly believes in core values of diversity and inclusion, which play a big role in her life as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and which have made her sensitive to the struggle of minorities in our society. These values fuel her passion to seek new adventures and challenges.

Pronouns: she/her/hers


LOCATION

This event will be held at the GLBT Historical Society Museum, located at 4127 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114.

ADMISSION

Free

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Free Museum Day
Oct
4
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.

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Queer History Happy Hour | Leather Week
Sep
21
5:00 PM17:00

Queer History Happy Hour | Leather Week

Celebrate Leather Week at the San Francisco Eagle by diving into captivating vintage footage from past Folsom and Up Your Alley events, plus don’t miss your chance to participate in a raffle to win rare historic treasures.

LOCATION

San Francisco Eagle, 398 12th St., San Francisco, CA 94103

ADMISSION

A suggested donation of $10 benefits the GLBT Historical Society’s efforts to preserve and share our vast queer past.

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Free Museum Day
Sep
6
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

  • GLBT Historical Society Museum (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.

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Hi Spots in a Low Dive: The Home Movies of Doris Fish
Aug
10
7:00 PM19:00

Hi Spots in a Low Dive: The Home Movies of Doris Fish

LOCATION

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

ADMISSION

$10.00 | Free for members

RSVP and purchase tickets here

Phillip R. Ford, director of the cult film classic Vegas in Space (1991), served most of the 1980s as "honorary straight man" in the legendary San Francisco drag troupe Sluts A-Go-Go. Collaborating with his mentor and friend, the legendary drag queen Doris Fish, along with Miss X and “Tippi”, he created and co-starred in some celebrated drag theater, both on nightclub and legitimate stages, which are still lovingly remembered today by those who were there. 

Doris Fish hailed from Sydney but relocated mostly full time to San Francisco in the late 70s. Ford was a young filmmaker of 21 when he met Fish, who soon recruited him to direct her feature film obsession Vegas in Space. Little did they know the next decade of their lives would be given over to the toils and triumphs that awaited. Driving under the influence of glamour, film theory and an addictive love of vivid colors and bad acting, they devoted all of their time, money and youth to the completion of Doris and Phillip’s cinematic fantasy. Vegas in Space famously took nine years to complete and created a sensation at the 1992 Sundance Film Festival, appeared at festivals worldwide, and was broadcast on USA Network’s Up All Night. The film today is a greater cult phenomenon than when it was released, having inspired generations of young queens the world over to dedicate themselves to follow their own artistic dreams.

In Hi Spots in a Low Dive: The Home Movies of Doris Fish, Ford presents a selection of greatest hits from his extensive “home movie” collection of videos from stage and TV performances together with many glimpses behind-the-scenes. Live onstage he shares his stories and reminiscences, along with a fabulous assortment of video hits from San Francisco in the 1980s, a rather forgotten period of drag theater history. Among the high spots are clips from Nightclub of the Living Dead, The Happy Hour Show, Bad Seed, Gay Cable Network and The Sluts A-Go-Go All Star Gang Bang and Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?.

This event is co-sponsored by the Louise Lawrence Transgender Archive and DorisFish.com.

Speakers

Phillip R. Ford is an erstwhile producer, director and entertainer, best known as the director of the classic cult film Vegas in Space starring the legendary Doris Fish. He spent most of the 1980s serving onstage as the "honorary straight man" in numerous low dives in San Francisco with the fabulous and notorious Sluts A-Go-Go drag ensemble.

Location

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

Admission

Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. This event will likely sell out, so guests are encouraged to reserve their tickets early. Tickets are available here.

Join the GLBT Historical Society

Become a member of the GLBT Historical Society for free museum and program admission, discounts in the museum shop and other perks throughout the year.

View Event →
Free Museum Day
Aug
2
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.

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Curve Magazine Cartoons: A Dyke Strippers' Retrospective | Opening Reception
Jul
13
7:00 PM19:00

Curve Magazine Cartoons: A Dyke Strippers' Retrospective | Opening Reception

LOCATION

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

ADMISSION

$10.00 | Free for members

RSVP and purchase tickets here

This event celebrates the launch of a new exhibition, “Curve Magazine Cartoons: A Dyke Strippers’ Retrospective.” The program will include remarks from curator Julia Rosenzweig and light refreshments. This exhibition will include pieces from the archives of Curve magazine and the GLBT Historical Society.

The landscape of lesbian cartoons in the 1990s was small yet vibrant; full of passion, satire, self-deprecation, and deep-cutting political and social commentary. Publishing these cartoons in the early years of Curve magazine (which was named Deneuve magazine between 1991-1995) was a natural fit, aligning with the pivotal lesbian publication’s cheeky voice and journalistic integrity, and enhancing both the aesthetics of the pages and its witty content. In the 1990s, these alternative artists had few platforms to publish their voices and their art. Curve magazine is proud to have been at the forefront of amplifying these marginalized voices and allowing them to further spread lesbian representation, culture, and humor.

This exhibition opens Thursday, July 13 and will remain on display through fall 2023. Click here for more information about the exhibition.

About the Curator

Julia Rosenzweig (she/they) is the Archive and Outreach Manager at The Curve Foundation. She is also an active contributor to the Lesbian Herstory Archives (LHA), where she co-manages the Lesbian Elders Oral Herstory Project, a project that documents lesbian elders’ life histories through intergenerational dialogue and knowledge-sharing. Julia has researched, archived, and curated a variety of LGBTQIA+ materials, including lesbian activist posters, episodes of Martha Shelley’s 1970s radio show Lesbian Nation, and Community Gallery institutional papers. Julia graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Italian Studies, and completed her MSLIS at Pratt Institute School of Information. Julia brings an ethos of community-building and understanding through conversation to The Curve Foundation. She is honored to steward archives that center the narrative control, empowerment, and agency of their creators.

Location

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

Admission

Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. This event will likely sell out, so guests are encouraged to reserve their tickets early. Tickets are available here.

Join the GLBT Historical Society

Become a member of the GLBT Historical Society for free museum and program admission, discounts in the museum shop and other perks throughout the year.

View Event →
Free Museum Day
Jul
5
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.

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Drag is Lit! Celebrating Queer SF Past, Present, Future
Jun
14
6:00 PM18:00

Drag is Lit! Celebrating Queer SF Past, Present, Future

Drag Story Hour comes to The Academy, in partnership with the GLBT Historical Society! This fabulous fundraiser and cocktail reception supports these two incredible organizations. Join us, and stand up to help protect LGBTQ+ rights, and our community's shared history.

Cocktails, beer and wine will be available for sale (cash or card accepted). The Academy venue has an accessible entrance and restroom facilities.

TICKET INFORMATION

  • $40 General Admission

  • $10 Academy Members

  • Sliding scale ticket for Queer BIPOC individuals

Ticket proceeds support Drag Story Hour & the GLBT Historical Society.

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Free Museum Day
Jun
7
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.

View Event →
Free Museum Day
May
3
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.

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Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?: Craig Seligman & Ms. Bob Davis in Conversation on Doris Fish and the Rise of Drag.
Apr
28
6:00 PM18:00

Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?: Craig Seligman & Ms. Bob Davis in Conversation on Doris Fish and the Rise of Drag.

LOCATION

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

ADMISSION

$5.00 | Free for members

RSVP and purchase tickets here

In WHO DOES THAT BITCH THINK SHE IS: Doris Fish and the Rise of Drag, author Craig Seligman dives into the short but abundant life of Doris Fish (born Philip Mills in 1952). There were effectively three Dorises—the quiet visual artist, the glorious drag queen, and the hunky male sex worker who supported the other two. He started performing in Sydney in 1972 as a member of Sylvia and the Synthetics, a psycho troupe that represented the first anarchic flowering of queer creative energy in the post-Stonewall era. After moving to San Francisco in the mid-’70s, he became the driving force behind years of sidesplitting drag shows that were loved as much as you can love throwaway trash—which is what everybody thought they were. No one, Doris included, perceived them as political theater, when in fact they were accomplishing satire’s deepest dream: not just to rail against society, but to change it. Seligman recounts a dynamic period in queer history — from Stonewall to AIDS — giving insight into how our ideas about gender have broadened to make drag the phenomenon we know it as today.

In conversation with Ms. Bob Davis, founder and director of the Louise Lawrence Transgender Archive and curator of the GLBT Historical Society’s Doris Fish: Ego as Artform exhibition, Seligman will discuss the life of this outrageous performer and artist and how we can reflect on Doris Fish’s legacy as a guide and inspiration in the fight against current conservative backlash against drag.


SPEAKERS

Craig Seligman (he/him/his) has written for and edited at a host of magazines, journals, newspapers, and websites. He is the author of Sontag and Kael: Opposites Attract Me (2004). He lives in Brooklyn.

Ms. Bob Davis (she/her/hers) is the founder and director of the Louise Lawrence Transgender Archive. In the 1990s she served two terms on the GLBT Historical Society Board of Directors.

Location

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114


Admission

Admission is free for members and $5 for non-members. This event will likely sell out, so guests are encouraged to reserve their tickets early. Tickets are available here.


Join the GLBT Historical Society

Become a member of the GLBT Historical Society for free museum and program admission, discounts in the museum shop and other perks throughout the year.

Photo Caption: Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?: Doris Fish and the Rise of Drag cover art, courtesy of PublicAffairs, 2023

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Doris Fish: Ego as Artform | Opening Reception
Apr
21
7:00 PM19:00

Doris Fish: Ego as Artform | Opening Reception

LOCATION

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

ADMISSION

$10.00 | Free for members

RSVP and purchase tickets here

This event celebrates the launch of a new exhibition, “Doris Fish: Ego as Artform.” The program will include remarks from curator Ms. Bob Davis and light refreshments.  This exhibition will include pieces from Fish’s personal and professional life, and showcase the power of drag to change the world.

Doris Fish was an Australian-born drag performer, actor, writer and artist who split his time between Sydney, Australia and San Francisco, California. He co-wrote and starred in the cult classic film “Vegas in Space,” performed with the drag group Sluts-A-Go-Go, protested the exclusion of drag performers from Pride parades, and increased national visibility of drag by appearing on a wide-selling greeting-card series and a number of talk shows. Fish became one of the most prominent and beloved drag queens in 1980s San Francisco until his death from AIDS complications in 1991.

The exhibition coincides with the release of a new book by Craig Seligman, Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?: Doris Fish and the Rise of Drag. Seligman and Davis will be hosting a book talk on Friday, April 28. For tickets and more information, click here.

This exhibition opens Friday, April 21 and will remain on display through fall 2023. Click here for more information about the exhibition.

About Ms. Bob Davis

Ms. Bob Davis (she/her/hers) is the founder and director of the Louise Lawrence Transgender Archive. In the 1990s she served two terms on the GLBT Historical Society Board of Directors.

Location

GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

Admission

Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. This event will likely sell out, so guests are encouraged to reserve their tickets early. Tickets are available here.

Join the GLBT Historical Society

Become a member of the GLBT Historical Society for free museum and program admission, discounts in the museum shop and other perks throughout the year.

Exhibition logo created by Robyn Adams.

View Event →
Free Museum Day
Apr
5
11:00 AM11:00

Free Museum Day

The GLBT Historical Society Museum is free to all visitors on the first Wednesday of every month. Tickets are not available online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming free day, contact us at tickets@glbthistory.org.

This free day is sponsored by the Bob Ross Foundation.

View Event →