It’s Pride Month, and we’re thrilled to celebrate this special occasion with a collection of features focused on LGBTQ+ travelers. You’ll journey alongside a gay writer experiencing Pride festivities worldwide; explore a bisexual woman’s visit to her deeply religious family in The Gambia; and discover the unexpected challenges and victories faced by a non-gender-conforming traveler. Get inspired for your own adventures with our guides to lesser-known LGBTQ+ attractions in each state, national parks with LGBTQ+ history, and actor Jonathan Bennett’s new travel project. However you choose to engage with these features, we’re glad to have you with us as we honor the importance of inclusivity and representation in travel and beyond.
June is upon us, and it’s time to bring out the rainbow gear and celebrate Pride! While parties and parades are fun, Pride Month is also a time to honor those who paved the way for queer rights, making a visit to one of these museums a meaningful activity this month—or any time, really.
Mainstream narratives often overlook queer history, but places like ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives and The Legacy Walk are dedicated to preserving it. Whether you explore these sites online or in person, you’ll leave enriched with knowledge.
Visit the GLBT Historical Society Museum in San Francisco, the first U.S. museum dedicated to queer history. Discover a wealth of treasures, including items from Harvey Milk. The permanent exhibit, “Queer Past Becomes Present,” offers a glimpse into 100 years of LGBTQ+ life in San Francisco and beyond. Open Tuesday to Sunday, general admission is $10, with advance ticket purchases encouraged.
Fort Lauderdale’s Stonewall National Museum & Archives may not be linked to the Stonewall Riots, but it houses one of the largest LGBTQ+ archives in the country. Browse items worn by Ellen DeGeneres and RuPaul, and delve into over 4,000 queer pulp fiction titles. The museum regularly hosts events like author talks and panel discussions. It’s open Monday through Friday, plus Saturdays, with archives accessible by appointment.
Art has always captured queer life, preserving tales often ignored by the mainstream. In 1969, a New York gallery exhibit began this tradition, and today, the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art continues with a vast collection spanning three centuries, featuring artists like Haring and Mapplethorpe. Open Friday through Sunday, with a suggested $10 donation.
The ONE Archives in Los Angeles, the oldest queer institution in the U.S., holds the largest LGBTQ+ collection globally. Visit exhibits at two locations, including a satellite gallery in West Hollywood, showcasing art and historical items from the ONE collection. Exhibitions are free to explore.
Chicago’s The Legacy Walk is unlike any other museum, set outdoors in Boystown. This half-mile stretch features bronze plaques celebrating LGBTQ+ figures like Walt Whitman and Alan Turing. Guided tours range from $10 to $35, free for children, with options for meals and shopping at an additional cost.
Brooklyn’s Lesbian Herstory Archives, in a modest townhouse, holds the world’s largest collection of lesbian-related memorabilia. Founded in the 1970s in response to gender bias within gay rights movements, it features an impressive array of buttons, banners, and printed materials.
Chicago’s Leather Archives and Museum is dedicated to leather, kink, fetish, and BDSM cultures within the queer community. Offering a safe haven for 30 years, it showcases thousands of books, magazines, erotic art, and attire. Open Thursday through Sunday, with free admission on Thursdays.
Fort Lauderdale’s museum, inaugurated by Magic Johnson, aims to de-stigmatize HIV/AIDS and preserve its history. Exhibits explore the pandemic’s impact on marginalized groups, while the oral history project shares personal stories of those affected. Open Monday through Friday, group tours available.
It’s surprising to find one of the finest LGBTQ+ museums in Pittsburgh, but as Andy Warhol’s hometown, it’s apt. Enjoy pieces like “Male Genitals” that capture his unique perspective, and experience events like one of the state’s only LGBTQ+ proms. Open Wednesday through Monday, $20 ticket admission, with timed entry.
On Staten Island, the Alice Austen House Museum, recognized as a national LGBT historic site, was home to pioneering female photographer Alice Austen and her partner Gertrude Tate. The exhibit “New Eyes on Alice Austen” celebrates their bond and showcases Austen’s work from the Victorian era. Open Tuesday through Saturday, admission is $5 with online tour bookings required.
