In the center of Castro in the center of SF’s gay neighborhood is the GLBT Historical Society : the story of how our past shaped us now

As Queerguru was making a long overdue visit back ‘home’ to San Francisco, it seemed after we discovered what is new and hot, we should re-visit the parts of the city that made it such an important destination all those years ago for the queer community. 

So there is the heart of the Castro in the heart of the LGBTQ district is the GLBT Historical Society Museum, which, since 1985 has been preserving and interpreting the history of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and the communities that support them. It’s just a stone’s throw away from where Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California had his Camera Store which during the 1970s became the center of the neighborhood’s growing gay community, as well as campaign headquarters for Milk’s various elections.

The museum features two galleries. A long-term exhibition in the Main Gallery, “Queer Past Becomes Present,” focuses on Bay Area LGBTQ history, showcasing how this history informs the present and inspires us to build a community that embraces differences. Among the objects on display are personal belongings of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California; publications related to lesbian activists Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon; a costume worn by activist and entertaining legend José Sarria, the first openly gay man to run for public office in the United States; and photos, documents and artifacts telling the amazing stories of over a century of everyday queer life among the diverse populations of San Francisco.   

The GLBT Historical Society is recognized internationally as a leader in the field of queer public history and maintains one of the world’s largest archival collections of LGBTQ historical materials. What you gather from all the detailed information and imagery is how the past has shaped the future and even though so much of that was tough to remember, there is still the overwhelming feeling of hope and optimism ….. the same qualities thwt we would also discover later on our visit to the National AIDS Grove in Golden Park.

The Museum has a second site Dr. John P. De Cecco Museum, lthe first stand- alone museum of its kind in the United States. It includes 1,600 square feet (150 square meters) of gallery and program space  are among the largest and most extensive holdings in the world of materials pertaining to LGBTQ people, occupying more than 3,500 linear feet of storage. Their archives consist predominantly of personal papers, photographs, audiovisual recordings including both moving image and audio formats, and organizational records. These collections include unpublished material such as letters, diaries and scrapbooks documenting the lives of both ordinary people

What we particular like is the Museum’s Manifest  which states We envision a world in which LGBTQ people are appreciated and celebrated by one another in all their diversity and by all people for their contributions to history and culture.We envision a world in which LGBTQ people find acceptance, strength, and pride in acknowledging their heritage and in sharing it with society as a whole. We support debate, dialogue, and discussion about the LGBTQ past as a way to educate, inspire, and empower LGBTQ people and our allies in building our future.

For more info on the Museums timeline and content check HERE

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

Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives & Special Collections: 989 Market Street· San Francisco, CA 94103·