LGBTQ+ Exhibitions To Visit This History Month
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Ten shows across London
February is LGBTQ+ History Month here in the UK, meaning it’s time to brush up on your knowledge of queer rights, history and pivotal figures, and to use education and advocacy to cultivate environments where all LGBTQ+ people feel seen, supported and safe. And just enjoy the visibility, too. Whether you’ll be partying at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, flying the progress pride flag from your window or attending a talk, we’ve gathered 10 exhibitions to visit in London this LGBTQ+ History Month, spanning outlandish fashion to queer science.
10 London Exhibitions To See In LGBTQ+ History Month
Fergus Greer, Leigh Bowery Session 1 Look 2 August 1990. (© Fergus Greer, courtesy Michael Hoppen Gallery.)
Leigh Bowery!, Tate Modern
Though Leigh Bowery only lived a short 33-year life, his extraordinary vision and exuberance has left an everlasting mark. The Aussie artist, performer, model, TV personality, club promoter, musician, fashion designer and muse of Lucien Freud emerged on the 1980s London club scene and was renowned (or perhaps infamous) for his daring and outrageous performances in galleries, theatres and on the street, using clothing, make-up and flesh to test the limits of decorum and celebrate the human body as a shape-shifting tool. His life and influence is the subject of a brand new exhibition at the Tate Modern, kicking off in LGBTQ+ History Month and running until the end of August.
Details: Leigh Bowery! is running 27 February–31 August 2025 at the Tate Modern (Bankside, London SE1 9TG). Admission is £18 or free for members. Book at tate.org.uk
At Home: Alice Neel In The Queer World
Alice Neel is known for her daring honesty in pursuit in what she termed ‘the truth’ – and her reputation as one of the foremost (and most radical) painters of the twentieth century precedes her. Now at Victoria Miro, a new exhibition delves into her career-long commitment to depicting the human condition as openly as possible, with a particular focus on her paintings of people from queer communities, including writers, performers, artists, friends and neighbours.
Details: Running 30 January–8 March 2025 at Victoria Miro (16 Wharf Road, London N1 7RW). Entry is free. Find out more at victoria-miro.com
Peter Hujar: Eyes Open In The Dark
Peter Hujar’s elegant photography was a mainstay of downtown NYC’s 1970s and ‘80s scene, but it’s only after his 1987 death from AIDS-related pneumonia that his work was picked up by the broader art world. Concentrating on his later work – the first exhibition to do so – Eyes Open in the Dark has been curated by Hujar’s close friend Gary Schneider, his biographer John Douglas Miller, and Raven Row director Alex Sainsbury.
Details: Running 30 January–6 April 2025 at Raven Row (56 Artillery Lane, London E1 7LS). Raven Row is open 11am–6pm Wednesday to Sunday, and the exhibition is free to visit. ravenrow.org
Boys! Boys! Boys!
Fancy sipping coffee surrounded by queer photography? Founded in 2018 to promote queer and gay fine art photography, Boys! Boys! Boys! finally has a permanent London home – and it doubles as a cafe/wine bar. With 84 photographers from 34 countries represented, expect plenty of exhibitions, as well as zines, books, a bi-annual magazine and even photography courses. Plus, Boys! Boys! Boys! Meets takes place every Wednesday, inviting a leading member of the LGBQT+ community ot share their story; this month, head down to hear from William Baker, Michele Robecchi, Stuart Linden Rhodes and Stephane Gizard.
Details: Find Boys! Boys! Boys! At 30C Warren Street (London W1T 5NF). boysboysboys.org
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Bishopsgate Institute Archive Tour
With one of the UK’s largest collections of LGBTQ+ paraphernalia and press cuttings, the Bishopsgate Institute is an important archive when it comes to queer history – and special tours of the collection are running this month. Head down into the basement and get ready to absorb a whole lot of history, from protest banners to wizard robes.
Details: Dates available on Thursdays in February. Find the Bishopsgate Institute at 230 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4QH. bishopsgate.org.uk
Queer Britain
The UK’s first (and only) museum of British LGBTQ+ history and culture opened in King’s Cross in 2022, quickly attracting acclaim and awards. This month, events combine with Lunar New Year and delve into the history of LGBQT+ activism in Camden.
Details: Queer Britain is open Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 6pm at 2 Granary Square, London N1C 4BH. Entry is pay what you can with a suggested £10 donation, and tickets should be booked ahead of time here. Find out more at queerbritain.org.uk
QUEERCIRCLE
In summer 2022, LGBTQIA+ charity QUEERCIRCLE launched its permanent exhibition, meeting and event space in North Greenwich. Artist residencies, exhibitions, panel discussions, weekly meetings and more join a dedicated library of essential texts to form a home for the queer community year-round. This LGBTQ+ History Month, pay a visit to the new Real to Reel exhibition celebrating queer filmmaking, or join one of the monthly events spanning book club to art group.
Details: Find QUEERCIRCLE a stone’s throw from North Greenwich station (Building 4, Design District, 3 Barton Yard, Soames Walk, London SE10 0BN). See what’s on at queercircle.org
LGBTQIA+ Tours, Tate Britain
The Tate’s beautiful collection will be filtered through a queer lens this month, with volunteers inviting guests to join them in touring the gallery’s gender identity and sexuality tidbits.
Details: The tours are free to join, running on 8 February, 3 March and 5 March starting from 3pm with future dates to be announced. Meet at the top of the Rotunda Stairs at the Tate Britain (Millbank, London SW1P 4RG). Find out more at tate.org.uk
Seeing Things Queerly, Science Museum
This self-guided trail invites science lovers to discover objects illuminating queer communities, experiences and identities, spanning Alan Turing to a transgender pilot.
Details: The trail is at the Science Museum (Exhibition Rd, London SW7 2DD). Load up this page and start exploring.
Desire, Love And Identity, British Museum
This 60-75 minute object trail and 30 minute trail across the British Museum spotlight same-sex love, desire and gender-diversity, enriched with an audio guide. From sculptures to Maori treasure, a Maya ruler to a Mesopotamian deity, this trail illuminates the world’s long-stretching queer history.
Details: The trail is at the British Museum (Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG) and online, with more information at britishmuseum.org
