OTP 2020 Hub - Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove

The Brighton Museum & Art Gallery opened in 1873 on land formerly used for stables on the estate of George IV’s eccentric Royal Pavilion and was one of the first purpose built museums in England.

Our museum service, which today serves the city across five historical sites, is part of the fabric of Brighton & Hove and aims to champion its communities, its place in the world and the environment.

Brighton & Hove has the UK’s largest proportion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans residents. These communities significantly shape the city’s identity so representing LGBTQ lives, challenging preconceptions and building understanding is an important part of our work.

2020 sees the continuation of exhibitions and projects celebrating LGBTQ histories and reflecting the experiences and achievements of the city’s LGBTQ residents.

The next exhibition in Brighton Museum’s Spotlight Gallery will continue to reclaim and uncover our local LGBTIQ+ history. Queer the Pier (Opening Feb 2020) is community led collaboration between the Queer in Brighton heritage project, a working group of local LGBTIQ+ volunteers, and Brighton Museum & Art Gallery

Queer the Peir builds on the foundation of collaboration built by The Museum of Transology. This exhibition ran at Brighton Museum for two years displaying diverse objects donated by Brighton’s vibrant trans community. This bold collection achieved so much in terms of deconstructing myths surrounding the trans experience and promoting the representation of LGBTIQ+ people in a museum setting.

Brighton Museum’s Queer Looks display features around 20 outfits donated by local LGBTQ residents representing LGBTQ fashion and style in Brighton & Hove since 1967 which will be added to the city’s Fashion Collection.