North America’s first full-fledged gay history museum, set in a former storefront in the Castro, is tiny but formidable, and ultimately quite moving. Recent exhibits have included quirky recaps of 25 years of queer history, with profiles of the first lesbians to marry legally in California (including the pantsuits they wore); a section on the importance of gay bars for the community (illustrated by a marvelously decorative collection of matchbooks); an exhibit on the gay-rights movement (with Harvey Milk’s sunglasses and the kitchen table he politicked at); and displays about gays in the military, hate crimes, AIDS, and gays of color, among other topics. The museum is not appropriate for children—“We want to show how the erotic pleasure can become political power,” co-curator Amy Sueyoshi divulges—but should intrigue anyone with an interest in contemporary history.
San Francisco› Attraction
The GLBT History Museum
4127 18th St (btw Castro and Collingwood sts)
Our Rating
Hours
Mon–Sat 11am–6pm, Sun noon–5pm
Transportation
Bus: 24, 33 and 35. Streetcar: F.
Phone
415-621-1107
Prices
Admission $5, free the 1st Wed of each month
Web site
The GLBT History Museum
![1 star(s) 1 star rating](/assets/rating/fromm-rating-1star.png)
Map
4127 18th St San FranciscoNote: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.