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 this year:
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 runs all year-round.
📍You’ll find the British Museum at Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG.
🚇 Nearest stations are Russell Square and Goodge Street.
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. If you’re peckish afterwards, then why not make your way to Fork Deli – one of our favourite delis which is just down the road.
📍You’ll find Gay’s The Word at 66 Marchmont Street, London, WC1N 1AB.
🚇 Nearest station is Russell Square.
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 18 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 ‘Fierce Queens’ – which brings together performers and historians together for an unforgettable night of queer liberation and LGBTQ+ representation aboard the mighty Cutty Sark. There’s also ‘Sailing Out’, which offers people of all ages the chance to get involved with flag and badge-making workshops over the February Half-Term.
📍You’ll find the National Maritime Museum at Romney Road, London, SE10 9NF.
🚇 Nearest stations are Greenwich, Cutty Sark and Maze Hill.
5. 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.
📍You’ll find the Royal Vauxhall Tavern at 372 Kennington Lane, London, SE11 5HY.
🚇 Nearest station is Vauxhall.
6. 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 ‘Desire in Archive’ and ‘Odd Men Out’ – a a history of gay men in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
📍You’ll find the Bishopsgate Institute at 230 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4QH.
🚇 Nearest station is Liverpool Street.
7. 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.
📍You’ll find the Admiral Duncan at 54 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 4UD.
🚇 Nearest station is Piccadilly Circus.
8. Read up on the charity Queer Britain and visit their brand-new museum
Queer Britain is a charity that was established back 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. That said museum, the Queer Britain Museum, opened back in 2022 and it joins the ranks of London’s free museums in offering a thoughtful, educational day out – without tugging on the purse strings. The museum is celebratory, representative, and informative – it allows the country’s queer communities to find a record of their past, and allows them to look to their future.
The award-winning ‘We Are Queer Britain!’ exhibition is definitely worth a visit when you’re here. The exhibition, which arrived shortly after the museum’s opening, marks the 50th anniversary of the UK’s first Pride March. It’s described as ‘a diverse and rich array of artefacts that culminates voices, objects and images from the worlds of activism, art, culture and social history covering over 100 years of queer life‘.
📍You’ll find the Queer Britain Museum at 2 Granary Square, London, N1C 4BH.
🚇 Nearest station is King’s Cross St. Pancras.
9. Join an LBGTQ+ Tour at the prestigious Tate Britain
Another free museum here – winner, winner! Every fortnight at Tate Britain a new, unique LGBTQ+ tour is on offer. The tours are led by volunteer guides with lived experience in the works and themes they are discussing. And they don’t merely touch on contemporary works. Tours explore a wide variety of works, both from Tate Britain’s historic collection (works from 1540-1910) and the contemporary collection (1930-present day).
As you wander round the gallery, you’ll be able to ‘discover the narratives of those less visible in Tate’s collection through the lens of gender identity and sexuality‘ – sounds pretty intriguing to us! You can find out more about the tours here.
📍You’ll find the Tate Britain at Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG.
🚇 Nearest station is Pimlico.
10. Immersive yourself in queer history at the Tower of London
Now if you’re looking to learn about LGBTQ+ history, then what better place than the Tower of London? Established back in 1066 and one of the world’s most famous fortresses, there’s loads to learn here if you join onto one of their ‘Queer Lives’ tour.
Following in the footsteps of a flamboyant ‘raven’ guide, you’ll encounter fascinating characters from the 14th century all the way to the present day, and you’ll celebrate stories of defiance and reflect on the LGBTQ+ stories linked to this historic landmark. You can get a hold of your tickets here.
📍You’ll find the Tower of London at Tower Hill, London, EC3N 4AB.
🚇 Nearest station is Tower Hill.
So there you have it – a roundup of the best places to learn about LGBT+ History Month this February. From exploring museums to having a pint in some of the city’s most established LGBTQ+ pubs, there’s something for everyone here!