LGBT+ History Month: 10 Things To Do In London To Learn About LGBTQ+ History
Samuel Hopkins - Staff Writer
February is LGBT+ History Month throughout the United Kingdom, and London is brimming with places in which to learn about LGBTQ+ history.
Established back in 2005, LGBT+ History Month is an annual, month-long event intended as a means to raise awareness of, and combat prejudice against, the LGBTQ+ community while also celebrating its achievement and diversity. The event came in the wake of the abolition of Section 28 in 2003, and it has been running ever since. Here’s a rundown of ten places in our beloved capital where you can learn more about LGBTQ+ history for LGBT+ History Month:
1. Follow the ‘desire, love and identity’ trail at the British Museum
Starting off this list of the best spots in London in which to learn about LGBT+ History Month is the British Museum, London’s biggest, oldest and arguably most popular museum. Plus it’s mostly all free, so if January has been tough on the old wallet, then there’s no excuse not to visit!
The ‘desire, love and identity’ trail highlights 15 different objects that have a connection with LGBTQ+ history, and following the route will only take around an hour. Objects on show here include The Warren Cup – a Roman wine glass showing two intertwined male lovers that was banned from being displayed for most of the 20th-century – and the Ain Sakhri Lovers statue – believed to be the world’s oldest sculpture of two lovers.
The genders of the figures are unclear and are completely open to interpretation. The display is free and is running all year-round.
2. Play a London-based LGBTQ+ exploration game in Soho and Covent Garden
Ready to dive into the very soul of London’s real queer community? Then look no further than this LGBTQ+ exploration game, which will take you on a tour of the most iconic queer landmarks in both Soho and Covent Garden.
Throughout the duration of the three-kilometre route, you’ll be able to discover the LGBTQ+ history of the Royal Family, learn all about the witty ways in which gay men used to flirt back when homosexuality was a crime, and delve into the macabre story of the murderer ‘Jack the Ripper of Soho’. The route takes just over an hour, and you’ll end up near some of London’s best LGBTQ+ bars and clubs.
What better way after educating yourself for LGBT+ History Month than enjoying a drink or two right?
3. Pay a visit to the Gay’s The Word bookshop in Bloomsbury
Selling incredible books and also promoting human rights – you know what they say, get you a bookshop that can do both. Well, they don’t actually say that. But if they did, they’d surely be talking about Gay’s The Word, the iconic London bookshop in Bloomsbury that’s been at the heart of the capital’s LGBTQ+ rights movement since opening on January 17th, 1979.
As the only dedicated LGBTQ+ bookshop in England, it was quickly established as an influential space for members of the community to meet, support each other and campaign, overcoming lots of opposition in the process.
‘Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners’ held their first meetings in Gay’s The Word before outgrowing the space, with the group and bookshop immortalised in the film Pride. A blue plaque commemorating the group’s co-founder and noted gay rights activist, Mark Ashton, can be found above the shop.
4. Learn about queer maritime history at the National Maritime Museum
If you ever find yourself in the UNESCO-listed borough of Greenwich, then the National Maritime Museum is always a great place to visit. And, like the British Museum – it’s also free. To celebrate LGBT+ History Month, they’re running a full day of creative workshops, storytelling, live performances and more on February 19 called ‘Out At Sea’, which is a festival completely dedicated to queer maritime history.
The museum is also running a wide array of other different events throughout the month, including ‘OUTing The Past’ – an evening of fascinating talks that will take you on a historic journey of queer resiliance, brilliance and imagination – as well as ‘Rainbow Week’, which offers people of all ages the chance to get involved with flag and badge-making workshops.
5. Discover the LGBTQ+ sites of ‘Voho’ on a treasure hunt
Once known as ‘Fox Hall’, the London neighbourhood of Vauxhall was granted to the quintessentially queer king, Edward II, in the early 1300s, and so began its life as one of our city’s most important LGBTQ+ spots. On this three-hour treasure hunt, you’ll solve clues and answer questions to follow a trail that charts the transformation of Vauxhall throughout its extensive history.
From a quiet rural village, it quickly changed into a destination defined by it’s Pleasure Gardens – offering wealthy Victorians art, fashion, music and prostitution – through to the modern day, where its often referred to as ‘Voho’, and offers some of the city’s best LGBTQ+ bars and nightclubs.
6. Grab a pint or two at the LGBTQ+ institution, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern
Speaking of Vauxhall, this one is a must on this list of things to do for LGBT+ History Month. The haunt of celebrities (including Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury!), drag queens, and the great and good of the LGBTQ+ community, the rich and storied history of the Royal Vauxhall Tavern is a colourful tale, woven into the very fabric of London’s nightlife.
In fact, it’s so revered that in 2015, it became the first building in the UK to gain Grade II-listed status on the basis of its importance to the wider LGBTQ+ community. Its role as a nightlife hub began after World War Two when the first drag shows took to the stage, and it’s south London’s oldest surviving LGBTQ+ venue.
Since then, it’s become a pillar among the wider community and offers some of the best and liveliest nights out in the capital.
7. Go for a wander around the library of the Bishopsgate Institute
Situated right across the road from Liverpool Street Station and close to the hubbub of the Old Spitalfields Market, the Bishopsgate Institute has been a hub for culture and learning since it first opened its doors on New Year’s Day back in 1895.
It’s got a whole section dedicated to LGBTQ+ history, with specific areas given over to organisations including the Lesbian and Gay Newsmedia Archive, which contains around 250,000 press cuttings chronicling the queer experience since the late 19th-century.
They’ve also got a whole host of events going on throughout February for LGBT+ History Month, including an in-person talk of ‘50 Years of the Gay Liberation Front’ and ‘A Cultural History of Aids’.
8. Learn about London’s rich cultural queer heritage at the Museum of London
From Roman romances to Pride Month and persecution, the Museum of London has almost 2,000 years’ worth of LGBTQ+ history available in its collection, and you can join a free cross-gallery tour with a guide to gain an insight into some of it.
Entry to the museum is free, and it holds the title of showcasing the largest urban history collection in the world, with more than six million objects on show in its interior. You just need to book a timed slot, and 75-minute tours run from February 5 until February 26.
9. Enjoy at night out at Soho’s iconic Admiral Duncan pub
The friendly Admiral Duncan is an LGBTQ+ institution situated right in the heart of Soho. It’s been open since 1832 and has been a stalwart of the Soho gay scene since then. Attracting a regular crowd, this one-room pub has regular karaoke, cabaret and drag nights as well as a tiny, little dance floor – perfect for throwing a few shapes after some bevvies!
Tragically, in April 1999, it was the target of a neo-Nazi nail bomb attack which killed three people and injured more than 70. Showcasing the true strength of the LGBTQ+’s community spirit, the pub reopened just weeks later and they have a chandelier commemorating those that sadly died saying “we shall never forget our friends”.
It’s a great spot to both learn about both LGBT+ History Month and have a few pints with some mates.
10. Read up on the charity Queer Britain and start planning your visit to a brand-new museum
Queer Britain is a charity that was establised in 2018 as a means to establish the UK’s first national LGBTQ+ museum to celebrate both LGBTQ+ history and culture and talk about queer peoples’ stories and experiences. They’ve now secured their first physical home in Granary Square near King’s Cross, occupying part of a historic building owned by the charity, Art Fund.
With plans to open in the early Spring, this new museum will have four separate gallery spaces, a gift shop and office facilities, later to be followed by education and workshop spaces. Intended to be another free museum, this is one we really can’t wait for at Secret London! They’re currently accepting donations, and you can keep up-to-date to the latest announcements on their website.
Fancy a drink after all that exploration? Here’s a rundown of 25 of London’s best LGBTQ+ bars and pubs to whet your whistle.